ETH Zurich's New Robotic Hand Can Walk, Press Keys, and Move Objects

For many viewers, the last and only time a walking hand appeared was Thing in The Addams Family movies and TV series. Now engineers from ETH Zurich's Soft Robotics Lab have introduced another. TechXplore Robotics reports the team adapted an off-the-shelf detached robotic hand to crawl across surfaces, balance, and interact with its environment. The result can walk, press keys, and move objects on its own.

The hand is not attached to a robotic arm. Instead, it moves independently, using its fingers and palm to propel itself. This capability blurs the line between manipulation and locomotion. According to TechXplore Robotics, the ETH Zurich researchers modified a commercially available hand rather than building one from scratch. That approach could make such systems easier to reproduce and deploy.

By crawling, balancing, and pressing keys, the hand demonstrates versatile behaviors. It can traverse surfaces that might be difficult for wheeled or legged robots. It can also interact with objects in ways typical grippers cannot. The project suggests future robots might use detached hands as mobile manipulators. These hands could access tight spaces, recover after being dropped, or perform simple tasks without a full arm.

The Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich focuses on flexible, adaptive systems. Adapting an off-the-shelf hand aligns with that mission. It shows how existing hardware can gain new skills through control and design changes.

While the walking hand may remind audiences of a fictional character, its real-world value lies in engineering. It offers a glimpse of robots that are more resilient and adaptable. TechXplore Robotics notes the hand can move objects on its own, a step toward autonomous manipulation. For now, the ETH Zurich project stands as a creative example of repurposing robotics hardware.