How do you improve on something as timeless as a Nerf gun? You make it bionic, of course. The Hackerloop collective, which is based out of Paris and New York, has done exactly that. These modified toy guns can be fired by muscle contractions, opening a world of possibilities for people with amputated or missing limbs.
According to David Grossman for Popular Mechanics: “The gun is built around an Arduino circuit board and uses electromyography, which measures muscle activation through electric potential. While electromyography is more closely associated with the military and DARPA projects, there's no reason hacker's can't have some fun with it. As the electricity in an arm goes above a predetermined threshold, a sensor connected to the Nerf gun pulls the trigger. Similarly, when the electricity levels drop, the gun stops firing.
The collective tells Motherboard that they were inspired to make the device by a friend who lost his hand. Researchers have been working on using technology to improve toys for the disabled for some time now, and this type of DIY project shows that there might be fewer limits on what's possible in that realm than previously believed.”
Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector.
