JACO Assistive Robot
The JACO Assistive Robot is a wheelchair-mountable robotic arm with six degrees of freedom manufactured by Kinova Robotics. Designed for individuals with severe upper limb mobility limitations, it enables performance of activities of daily living through user teleoperation via wheelchair input devices.
Overview and Use Cases
The JACO Assistive Robot is a robotic arm system designed to restore functional manipulation capabilities for individuals with severe upper limb mobility impairments, including those with muscular dystrophy, quadriplegia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The arm mounts directly to a wheelchair and operates under full user control, requiring no autonomous operation.
Common use cases include activities of daily living such as eating, personal grooming, medication management, and object manipulation. The system is controlled entirely by the end user through compatible wheelchair input devices, which may include joysticks, sip-and-puff interfaces, head arrays, and other adaptive input methods.
Key Capabilities
- Six degrees of freedom for versatile arm positioning and manipulation
- Wheelchair-mountable design for integrated mobility and manipulation
- User teleoperation via multiple compatible input device types
- Modular control interface compatible with standard wheelchair electronics
- Maximum reach of 900 mm from mounting point
- Payload capacity of 1.3 kg at full reach (temporary) and 1.6 kg at mid-range (continuous operation)
- Maximum arm velocity of 20 cm/s
Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Degrees of Freedom | 6 |
| Maximum Reach | 900 mm |
| Payload Capacity (full reach) | 1.3 kg (peak, temporary) |
| Payload Capacity (mid-range) | 1.6 kg (continuous) |
| Maximum Speed | 20 cm/s |
| Arm Weight | 5.4 kg |
| Power Supply | 18–29 VDC (24V nominal) |
| Average Power Consumption | 25W |
| Standby Power Consumption | 5W |
| Peak Power Consumption | 100W |
Applications
The JACO Assistive Robot is deployed in clinical and home settings to support independent performance of functional tasks for users with limited or absent upper limb motor control. It complements wheelchair mobility systems by adding manipulation capability.
Manufacturer
The JACO Assistive Robot is manufactured by Kinova Robotics. Kinova is a lead partner in the RAMMP (Robotic Assistance in Mobility and Manipulation for People) initiative, a $41 million research and development program focused on developing next-generation smart wheelchair and robotic arm platforms.
Insurance coverage for the JACO Assistive Robot varies by payer. As of September 2024, the device is a covered Medi-Cal benefit. However, at least one major insurer classifies it as Experimental or Investigational.
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