Supernumerary Robotic Limbs (SRLs) are not prosthetics, they are extra arms designed to help a user complete a task, an amputee may also use these devices but they are meant to be used as add-ons to your usual arms.

You wont be able to start throwing things around like some sort of comic book villain but help people complete tasks that are difficult or irritating, (or well you know needs more than one person) – so imagine carrying lots of boxes or shopping, or holding up a piece of MDF whilst you nail it into the wall or ceiling.

They weigh 10lbs and sit atop your shoulders , each arm has 5 degrees of freedom and you can attach a variety of attachments depending on your task. The SRL’s rely on a pair of inertial measurement units strapped to a users wrists, which then allows the machine to figure out the best position to place itself. It can also be programmed to complete tasks such as pushing an elevator button or opening a door if your hands are full.

Is this cool or are we getting lazier as humans?