Dexterous robotic hands are becoming much more capable as engineers give robots something similar to a human sense of touch. Human-like robotic hands can contain multiple articulated fingers with many joints, allowing them to grasp, rotate, reposition, and manipulate objects rather than simply opening and closing like a conventional industrial gripper.
Pressure and force sensors embedded in the fingertips and palm can detect when contact occurs, where an object is touching the hand, and how strongly the robot is gripping it. This tactile feedback is especially important because cameras alone cannot reliably determine whether an object is beginning to slip or being squeezed too hard.
By combining tactile sensing with cameras, joint-position sensors, and artificial intelligence, a robot can continuously adjust the force applied by individual fingers—for example, holding a paper cup without crushing it, picking up a fragile piece of fruit, turning a tool in its hand, or maintaining its grip as an object moves.
Researchers are also developing electronic skin containing dense arrays of tactile sensors that can measure pressure across larger areas of the fingers and palm. As these technologies improve, touch-sensitive dexterous hands could become one of the key technologies needed for useful humanoid robots, allowing them to safely handle the enormous variety of tools, packages, appliances, clothing, food, and other objects found in environments originally designed for human hands.
The video above is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute or imply an endorsement by FutureForAll.org
