A Hand From Cosmobot

A funny-faced robotic device designed to help disabled children may also represent the birth of a new venture. AnthroTronix, which develops human-to-technology interfaces, in July will seek a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to help it spin off a division to commercialize its CosmoBot robot and future devices.

The CosmoBot monitors a child's gestures and speech during physical therapy by use of sensors and a Web connection. Perhaps most important, it can motivate kids who might otherwise resist the rigors of therapy. The inventor: AnthroTronix CEO Corinna Lathan, 34, who recently was named one of 100 young innovators by MIT's Technology Review.