Robot with smart grip

Scientists at the Swiss Federal University of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have created a very unique invention: a robotic hand that can detach from the arm and move on its own to pick up objects. Imagined like a mechanical snail, this hand can crawl to any location within reach to perform the assigned task. A recent study at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) introduced this invention and quickly attracted the attention of IEEE Spectrum magazine.

Traditionally, robotic arms have been designed to work in a fixed position. However, scientists at EPFL’s Laboratory for Learning Algorithms and Systems (LASA) are looking to a different future. They are developing a new type of robotic hand that is capable of autonomous operation. This means that the hand can be temporarily detached from the main arm to perform more flexible operations, opening up many potential applications in the future.

While most robotic hands are designed to perform a single task, the researchers decided to take on a bigger challenge: creating a robotic hand that can both grasp and move flexibly. To solve this complex problem, they applied genetic algorithms, a powerful tool in the field of artificial intelligence. By simulating thousands of different designs in MuJoCo software, the researchers selected and gradually developed the optimal design, similar to the process of evolution in nature.

Through careful research, data analysis, and simulation, scientists concluded that the robotic hand should have five fingers, similar to a human hand. This design is said to be optimal for performing a variety of tasks. In addition, to increase flexibility, researchers equipped the robotic hand with a smart magnetic connector, allowing it to automatically connect to different types of robotic arms.

The special structure allows the fingers of the hand to flex in both directions, just like human fingers. This not only helps the robot hand lift heavy objects easily, but also opens up many new application possibilities. Lifting multiple objects at the same time without adjusting the arm position is a typical example.

Unlike quadruped robots like Spot, this robotic hand is compact and equipped with a flexible joint, allowing it to easily reach and explore narrow areas, opening up many potential applications in rescue, exploration or maintenance missions.