Jizai Arms

Supernumerary Robotic Limb System for The University of Tokyo

Jizai Arms was designed to enable social interaction between multiple Jizai Arms wearers such as an exchange of arms. Jizai Arms is a supernumerary robotic limb system consisting of a wearable base unit with detachable robotic arms. The system has been designed to enable social interaction between multiple wearers, such as exchanging arms, and to explore possible interactions between digital cyborgs in a cyborg society.

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Jizai Arms by Team JIZAI ARMS

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Supernumerary Robotic Limb System by Team JIZAI ARMS

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Team JIZAI ARMS Jizai Arms

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Team JIZAI ARMS Supernumerary Robotic Limb System

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Jizai Arms Supernumerary Robotic Limb System Media Articles

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Unique Properties

JIZAI ARMS is a supernumerary robotic limb system. It was designed to enable social interaction between multiple JIZAI ARMS wearers such as an exchange of arms.JIZAI ARMS is a supernumerary robotic limb system consisting of a wearable base unit with detachable robotic arms. The system has been designed to enable social interaction between multiple wearers, such as exchanging arms, and to explore possible interactions between digital cyborgs in a cyborg society.

Tags

Cyborg, Digital Cyborg, Social Digital Cyborg, Supernumerary Robotic Limb System, Robotic Limbs, Wearable Robotic Limbs, Human-Machine Integration, Human-Computer Integration, Robotics, Human-Robot Integration

Production Technology

This system contains a wearable base unit which has six terminal to attach arms and board to communication, and robotic arms with 5 DOF. Exterior parts are designed with organic and complex shape to cover only necessory part and make it lighter, 3D printing enabled these complex shape. We designers worked from considering basic engineering specification like motor layout and geometry of arms, to finalize exterior design. This process made sophisticated design.

Design Challenge

Enabling quick and free attach/detach of arms is a core concept of JIZAI ARMS and system design for this feature was one of a hard point. Production team invented connection system enables easy attach/detach and connect both electrically and physically, but stiff enough as a base of robotic arms. From styling perspective, achieving a beautiful fusion of human body and machine was a challenging point. We designed this robotic system rationally but tried designing it visually fit to human body.

Project Duration

The project started in Nov 2021 in part of JST INAMI JIZAI BODY PROJECT and completed production in September 2022. JIZAI ARMS has firstly used and shown in dance performances in JIZAI Collection held at Tokyo in Novenber 2022.

Operation Flow

JIZAI ARMS is a system contains wearable base unit and detachable robotic arms. Robotic arms which connected to base unit are controlled by computer. In current prototype, robotic arms are controlled using a 1/2 scale model as a controller, operator can control arms with moving a model like puppet. Using this controller, operator controll robotic arms intuitively since a posture which operators made with model is directly applied to actual robotic arms.

Research

JIZAI ARMS is a prototype to explore possible social interactions between digital cyborgs in a cyborg society, such as gifting body parts or exchanging arms. In existing research in human augmentation, interesting changes of embodiment happened through using wearable robotics has reported. We focused not only individual wearer but also embodied experience happen between multiple digital cyborgs, and made JIZAI ARMS as a prototype to make such experiences real.

Inspiration

In “One Arm”, Nobel Prize-winning author Yasunari Kawabata wrote a weird scene that a girl gives her arm to a man and a man stay a night with it. He vividly described a man’s experience at the night with his wide-ranging emotional changing. After a half a century, emerging human-machine integration technologies have begun to allow us to physically experience Kawabata’s world. “JIZAI ARMS” are designed to explore possible interactions between digital cyborgs in a cyborg society.

Project Overview

Jizai Arms Supernumerary Robotic Limb System has been a Golden winner in the Cybernetics, Prosthesis and Implant Design award category in the year 2022 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Gold A' Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high level of innovation and a significant impact on their intended audience. Recognized as a major achievement by the A' Design Awards, these designs are characterized by their visionary approach and the exceptional skill of their creators. Winners of the Gold A' Design Award are noted for their ability to push the envelope in art, science, design, and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. These designs serve as benchmarks for excellence, encouraging further innovation and inspiring future generations of designers.

Image Credits

For design images and photos please credit Team JIZAI ARMS.

Golden Recognition

Team JIZAI ARMS was recognized with the coveted Golden A' Design Award in 2023, a testament to excellence of their work Jizai Arms Supernumerary Robotic Limb System.

Team JIZAI ARMS Newsroom

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