Robotic finger adds analogue devices to IoT
Microbot Push is a robotic finger that can be stuck to any surface and that physically pushes buttons when you wirelessly tell it to. It is the creation of Korean start-up, Naran, which will launch a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo on November 9th. The Push connects to an internet-connected hub via low-energy Bluetooth and from there can be accessed online and controlled via app. The device has a battery life of six months and a maximum torque of 1.6 kgf. Its functionality is limited to that of the button it presses. Multiple Push bots might be needed to operate a device that has more than a single switch. Naran is maximising its utility through an “automation platform” called Stories that looks similar to If This Then That (IFTTT).

Connecting analog devices to the Internet of Things can be a hassle. If your stereo doesn't have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, then how will you tell it to start automatically playing your sweet jams when you get home after work? The answer might be a robotic finger called the Microbot Push: a low-energy Bluetooth device that can be stuck to any surface and that physically pushes buttons when you wirelessly tell it to.

The push connects to a hub which connects to the internet

The Push is the creation of Korean startup Naran, which unveiled the device earlier this year and is preparing to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo on November 9th. Each Push connects to an internet-connected hub via low-energy Bluetooth and from there can be accessed online and controlled via app. The rather drab-looking "fingers" have an internal battery that lasts six months and a maximum torque of 1.6 kgf — enough, says Naran, to flick pretty much any button or switch (as long as the Push fits over it of course).

Previous Next













1 / 8 Previous Next













1 / 8

The Push is an odd mixture of stupidity and brilliance. As Naran says, it's an incredibly simple way to bridge the physical and digital world, but its functionality is also limited to that of the button it presses. You might, as the company says, use the Push to start your coffee brewing remotely, but this is only true if your coffee maker works with a single switch. Most require additional steps or at least some preparation, and the same is true of appliances like ovens and stereos. Similarly, depending on the type of switch it is, you might need two Push bots to operate a single device.

The fingers also come with an automation platform similar to IFTTT

This isn't to say that the Push wouldn't be handy though, and Naran is certainly trying to maximize its utility, offering an "automation platform" called Stories that looks similar to If This Then That (IFTTT). Users can give instructions to their robotic fingers based on sensor data, e.g. "If I get home, Push turns on the living room lights," or "If I sent 'time for coffee' on Slack, Push starts the espresso machine."