New, soft robotic hand can ‘feel’ its surroundings

Scientists have developed a soft robotic hand that can feel its surroundings internally, just as humans, and perform tasks like picking out ripe tomatoes.

Most robots achieve grasping and tactile sensing through motorised means, which can be excessively bulky and rigid.

Researchers from Cornell University in the US showed how stretchable optical waveguides can act as curvature, elongation and force sensors in a soft robotic hand. 

“Most robots today have sensors on the outside of the body that detect things from the surface,” said Huichan Zhao, doctoral student at Cornell.