Robotic hands aren’t always known for their dexterity or sensitivity, as you can see here:
A new soft robot hand from Cornell University uses stretchable optical waveguides to sense strain in a prosthetic hand. Cornell researchers Huichan Zhao, Kevin O’Brien, Shuo Li, and Robert F. Shepherd reported in the journal Science Robotics that their optoelectronic strain sensors were used as curvature, elongation, and force sensors integrated into a fiber-reinforced soft prosthetic hand.
“The optoelectronically innervated prosthetic hand was used to conduct various active sensation experiments inspired by the capabilities of a real hand,” the researchers said. “Our final demonstration used the prosthesis to feel the shape and softness of three tomatoes and select the ripe one.”
