Funny you should post this; I don’t remember how, but I came across the curriculum for 6.943 at MIT a few weeks ago.
I experimented with specular holograms (generalized scratch holograms) at my work CNC, grinded some engraving tools with diamond sandpaper, but I kept snapping tips because my table wasn’t flat enough and I was using black acrylic instead of polished aluminum.
I was slightly obsessed with trying a DIY biomimetic hand a few months ago, looks like you can do McKibben muscles with variable braid angle mesh sleeves (like how a bicep balloons in the middle to increase contraction length for the same amount of energy expenditure) and medical grade silicone tubing, fishing wire for tendons, PLA for 3d printed anatomically accurate bones, liquid latex or shrink wrap for synovial capsules and mineral oil or Vaseline for synovial fluid, catheter syringes for hydraulic pressure for the muscles at first, but then off the shelf microfluidic devices with maybe an Arduino controller, then possibly RPNI with machine learning to make it a fully functional prosthetic. The professional tech seems so close now though it’s a little discouraging.
FYI (cc @Gram_Stone) the 2023 course website has (poor quality edit:nevermind I was accessing them wrong) video lectures.
Edit 2: For future (or present) folks, I’ve also downloaded local mp4s of the slideshow versions of the videos here, and can share privately with those who dm, in case you want them too or the site goes down.
Funny you should post this; I don’t remember how, but I came across the curriculum for 6.943 at MIT a few weeks ago.
I experimented with specular holograms (generalized scratch holograms) at my work CNC, grinded some engraving tools with diamond sandpaper, but I kept snapping tips because my table wasn’t flat enough and I was using black acrylic instead of polished aluminum.
I was slightly obsessed with trying a DIY biomimetic hand a few months ago, looks like you can do McKibben muscles with variable braid angle mesh sleeves (like how a bicep balloons in the middle to increase contraction length for the same amount of energy expenditure) and medical grade silicone tubing, fishing wire for tendons, PLA for 3d printed anatomically accurate bones, liquid latex or shrink wrap for synovial capsules and mineral oil or Vaseline for synovial fluid, catheter syringes for hydraulic pressure for the muscles at first, but then off the shelf microfluidic devices with maybe an Arduino controller, then possibly RPNI with machine learning to make it a fully functional prosthetic. The professional tech seems so close now though it’s a little discouraging.
Wow I’m surprised I’ve never heard of that class, sounds awesome! Thank you.
FYI (cc @Gram_Stone) the 2023 course website has (
poor qualityedit:nevermind I was accessing them wrong) video lectures.Edit 2: For future (or present) folks, I’ve also downloaded local mp4s of the slideshow versions of the videos here, and can share privately with those who dm, in case you want them too or the site goes down.