Jaco

Canonical robot record

Overview

Jaco is an assistive robotic arm developed by Kinova, a Canadian robotics company based in Boisbriand, Québec that has worked on assistive manipulators since its founding. The arm is designed for people with limited upper-limb mobility, including individuals affected by conditions such as muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, ALS and cerebral palsy, giving them greater autonomy and reducing reliance on caregivers.

The robot is a lightweight manipulator composed of several inter-linked segments ending in a gripper, mounted on a power wheelchair so the user can move it through three-dimensional space and grasp or release objects. It draws power directly from the wheelchair battery and is built from lightweight carbon-fibre links with aluminum actuators, keeping it compact and low-profile.

Jaco can be operated through a wide range of interfaces, including the wheelchair joystick, head controls and sip-and-puff systems, making it adaptable to each user's abilities. Kinova frames it as a way to make everyday activities of daily living feel easier and to open up new possibilities for independence.

RoboZaps maintains this record as part of its canonical robotics database. Specs are source-verified where linked; the record compares public facts across manufacturers rather than representing a single robot maker.