MIT d'Arbeloff Lab Introduction The Supernumerary Robotic Limbs (SRL) is a wearable robot which provides a human user with two additional robotic arms. The SRL is being used to assist wearers in complex tasks, to compensate for their weight while working in uncomfortable positions, and to augment their balance during walking. The robot has a wide range of applications, including the aircraft manufacturing industry, construction sites, elderly assistance and gait rehabilitation. The Supernumerary Robotic Limbs (SRL) concept. The SRL augments the human body by providing two additional robotic limbs. This represents a new form of human augmentation. Design The Supernumerary Robotic Limbs (SRL) is composed of four main parts. First, it is equipped with a harness that forms a comfortable yet firm interface with the human body. The harness is attached to the robot base, which follows the shape of the user’s hip and contains control electronics and power storage units. Lastly, two robotic limbs – each with three degrees of freedom – are connected to the base. The most important feature of the SRL is the independence of the robotic limbs from the natural limbs of the user. Unlike conventional exoskeletons, the SRL is not constrained to follow the kinematic configuration of the wearer. Independence allows the SRL to provide assistance by following optimal control laws and not simply by blindly following human motions. The SRL also enables the user to execute tasks that would be impossible to realize using only two arms or two legs. In this sense, the SRL can increase the range of motor skills available to the user. This represents a new form of human augmentation.