The University of Tokyo’s Masahiko Inami and his team have developed a unique wearable multi-armed device called the “Jizai Arms” to explore social interaction between users and the robotic limbs. The Jizai Arms consist of a base unit with sockets that can hold up to six articulated arms, which can be detached and shared with others. In addition to robotic arms, the team envisions future attachments such as wings or drones.
“The aim is to foster something like the relationship between musician and instrument, lying somewhere between a human and a tool, like how a musical instrument can become as if a part of your body,” explains Inami.
Inami believes the Jizai Arms are “not a rival to human beings, but rather something that helps us do as we please, like a bicycle or e-bike. It supports us and can unlock creativity.”
The main feature of the Jizai Arms is not just to give people more than two arms but to be able to remove and attach them to share with other people via the sockets on the back. Inami says that while there is no perfect way to control multiple arms simultaneously, the technology has potential applications in post-disaster search and rescue scenarios, as well as new forms of artistic expression.
“I want to see new types of performance using the body, new art forms being created. I’d like to stimulate creativity and accelerate its spread throughout society. That’s the kind of world I want to create,” Inami expressed.
The possibilities of the Jizai Arms go beyond turning a novelist’s fantasy into reality. Inami envisions a future where wings grow from people’s backs or drones become attached to individuals. He suggests that this technology could even give rise to new sports that require participants to have six arms or new types of swimming techniques.
“Some wearers grow attached to the arms after some time. Taking them off after using them for a while feels a little sad. That’s where they’re a little different from other tools,” Inami comments.
The Jizai Arms showcase the possibilities of wearable robotics and highlight the potential for humans to merge with machines seamlessly. Whether it’s for creative expression, search, and rescue, or even future sports, this technology could revolutionize how people interact with their environment and expand human capabilities beyond their current limitations.
