Meet the guy with four arms, two of which someone else controls in VR

August 6, 2018 8:18 AM

These robotic limbs could someday help people work together when they’re far apart. Still very early, and obviously clunky, but an interesting story and prototype.
posted by RickLiebling (12 comments total)

Oh, the fiction possibilities with this are endless. What if the extra set of arms strangles the wearer to death? What if the arms the control the person's actual arms are used for a murder? What if you fall in love with the person controlling the extra arms? Does onanism become a hookup?
posted by xingcat at 8:23 AM on August 6, 2018 [5 favorites]

I'm seeing the pottery scene from Ghost, but if it starred Alfred Molina from Spider-Man 2.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:28 AM on August 6, 2018 [15 favorites]

Yeah, I look at technology (and science, innovation, space exploration...) through a science fictional lens and this one was right in my wheelhouse. You bring up some interesting examples. How about a remote doctor uses the robot arms to perform surgery on the wearer, who is under local anesthesia? Or the robot arms are controlled by a crime lord and the wearer is an innocent victim?
posted by RickLiebling at 8:28 AM on August 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

I for one welcome our new robotic arm overlords.
posted by BungaDunga at 8:42 AM on August 6, 2018

Yeah, what a bizarre combination of Doc Ock and Sleep Dealer.
posted by gwint at 8:44 AM on August 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

You could play four-handed piano with your friend across the country!
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:48 AM on August 6, 2018 [2 favorites]

I went straight to Helping Hands from Whose Line.
posted by Foosnark at 8:49 AM on August 6, 2018 [5 favorites]

Older brothers everywhere stop for a minute and ponder the "stop hitting yourself" possibilities of such technology.
posted by dudemanlives at 8:54 AM on August 6, 2018 [13 favorites]

The super villains were so busy trying to figure out how to do this that they completely ignored whether they should or not....
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:02 AM on August 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

DO YOU WANT DOC OCK!? This is how we get DOC OCK!
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 9:08 AM on August 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

I admit my mind immediately went to murder mysteries and Phoenix-Wright-style legal conundrums. After reading the comments, I'm glad I'm not the only one.
posted by subocoyne at 11:47 AM on August 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

okay losers get in the Jaeger, we're going monster hunting
posted by nonasuch at 9:16 PM on August 6, 2018