Students' robotic arm can make you stronger

The Penn students were moved by the power of that concept—restoring mobility to those who have suffered traumas—as well as the idea of preventing injuries in those who perform repetitive heavy-lifting tasks, said team member Nick Parrotta.

“When we started talking to physical therapists and prospective users, or people who have gone through these types of injuries, we just kept on getting more and more motivated,” said Parrotta, now in graduate school at the university.

So for their senior capstone project last year, Parrotta and classmates Elizabeth Beattie, Nick McGill and Niko Vladimirov set out to develop an affordable, lightweight suit for the right arm.

They modeled pieces using 3-D printers and computer design programs, eventually making most components out of aluminum, Beattie said.

The final product cost less than $2,000 and weighs 18 pounds—less than the backpack that Beattie usually carries.

A handheld joystick controls motorized cables that raise and lower the arm; sensors measure the wearer's range of motion to help track rehab progress.

Since its unveiling, Titan Arm has won the $10,000 Intel Cornell Cup USA and the $65,000 James Dyson Award.