Human-Like Robotic Hand With Smart Palm-Finger Coordination Developed

Beijing: Imagine a robotic hand that coordinates its palm and fingers with human-like precision -- not only grasping objects with perfect stability but also "feeling" their 3D contours and distinguishing between different materials.

Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University have made the vision a reality, solving a fundamental challenge in robotics, Xinhua news agency reported. While soft robotic hands with sensing capabilities have shown promise, existing designs primarily focused on finger sensitivity while neglecting the palm's crucial role in manipulation.

The palm, as a large and crucial contact region providing mechanical support and sensory feedback, was -- up until this point -- underexplored due to limited sensing density and interaction with the fingers. The research team overcame these limitations by developing a fully integrated system where the palm and fingers work in perfect harmony, achieving unprecedented levels of sensitivity and control.

At the heart of this advancement lie three groundbreaking features: a high-resolution tactile palm with 181,000 sensing units per square centimeter (754 times more sensitive than human skin), remarkably flexible fingers capable of 204.3 degrees of bending, and intelligent coordination algorithms that enable seamless palm-finger interaction.