Watch DARPA Robotic Hand Change a Tire Very, Very Slowly (Video)

Will robots replace people in menial tasks, such as changing tires? DARPA recently released a video that reveals its newly created robotic hand that can match human performance in dexterous activities like changing a tire.

Mechanics may not have to worry just yet, though. The robot is extremely slow at changing the tire--so much so that it's almost painful to watch. In fact, researchers had to speed up the video of the robot performing the task by 24 times in order for it to look as if it were moving at a decent pace.

That said, DARPA's project wasn't aimed at replacing mechanics with mechanical hands. Instead, it wanted to create a hand that could perform precise, dexterous tasks and that could be used to advance the field of prosthetics. So far, DARPA seems to have succeeded.

Until recently, a dexterous robotic hand could cost over $10,000. That makes acquiring one after an accident almost impossible for most people. Now, though, the cost has plummeted to a mere $3000, according to Extreme Tech; it's likely that in future years, this price will only drop further.

Robotic hands have already conquered the task of grasping an object. Now, though, researchers are focusing on designing hands that can manipulate objects. Refined tasks such as unzipping a zipper or buttoning a coat are almost impossible for a robot to perform. Yet DARPA aims to continue to refine its hand.

The robotic hand may not just have applications in prosthetics. It could also potentially be developed to perform dangerous tasks, such as examining improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Currently, DARPA is still developing and refining the robot. Since it is so slow, it's likely that speeding it up and making it move more smoothly will be a factor in future versions of this robot.

Want to see the robot change a tire for yourself? Check out the video below, originally appearing here.