This is by far the coolest "toy" I've ever owned. Most things in museums and collections are static. Not this. It is electrifying to see this thing come to life! Unfortunately, I am moving and need to reduce my collection, so I have made the painful decision to find it a new home.

This impressive early prototype demands an important place within robotics history as the first motorized dexterous robotic hand. It represents one of the early steps towards making robots more anthropomorphic. The Omni-Hand was designed and built in the early 1990s by robot pioneer Mark Rosheim with funding from NASA contracts NAS8-37638 and NAS8-38417. Two prototypes were made. The first was a “test bed” whose features were then incorporated into this complete unit. Both had the same power and control system.

One of the unique features of this prototype is the custom fitted NASA space suit glove made by the same company who makes space suits for NASA. The one included in this sale is the second and final glove developed which incorporated flexibility improvements. To understand the significance of this prototype within the development of robotic hands, I have included an excerpt from Rosheim’s Robot Evolution: The Development of Anthrobotics, which gives many details about the Omni-Hand (see the scans below). Robot Evolution tracks the history of robotics from ancient automata to modern examples of arms, wrists, hands and legs through to advanced artificial intelligence. (A copy of this book is included in this sale.) The Omni-Hand is also featured on the cover.

Of the two prototypes built, the one for sale in this auction is the only complete and functioning system. When it was purchased at a NASA surplus sale, it came with the first prototype’s power box, motion controller and base (which is essentially identical to the second's). Apparently someone from NASA amputated the first hand (the “test bed”) allowing the rest of the non-mechanical components to go with this final complete second prototype. I am including the extra components in this sale as spares.

Condition: This system is currently working and I guarantee that it functions here at my facility, but I cannot control how it is handled in shipping. It is an antique (by robotics standards) with fragile prototype technology. The fingers can stick periodically.

***I am happy to provide the buyer with initial operating assistance.***