Soft Robotics Lab

ETH Zurich builds a standalone robotic hand that walks on its fingers

Researchers at ETH Zurich's Soft Robotics Lab have built a robotic hand detached from any arm or body, capable of crawling across surfaces and balancing its own weight using its five fingers. The device manipulates objects and moves using only its digits, without the wrist and arm assembly typical of conventional robotic hands.

fastcompany.com · 2026-09-28

ETH Zurich researchers build robotic hand that walks and types unaided

A team at ETH Zurich's Soft Robotics Lab has built an off-the-shelf anthropomorphic robotic hand that can walk on its fingertips across multiple surfaces and type on a keyboard while supporting its own weight. The researchers say they largely avoided modifying the hand's fingers or built-in position controller, instead training the robot's behavior, though some physical modifications were needed for it to operate independently.

futurism.com · 2026-09-27