Robot hand from ETH Zurich walks, types, and plays games

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a detached robot hand inspired by 'Thing' from The Addams Family that can balance, walk on its fingertips, type, and play video games. The 1.8-pound appendage uses reinforcement learning to master uneven finger coordination. The hand, built from an off-the-shelf mechanical model with 20 actuated joints, was trained in simulation before real-world tests across 14 environments including carpet, gravel, and grass. It achieved 29 out of 32 correct keystrokes in typing tests and successfully played the puzzle game Sokoban. The team suggests such mobility could let future humanoid robots detach hands to retrieve items in cramped spaces, while improved finger articulation may enhance robot dexterity overall. This comes as companies like Figure and Tesla race to develop bipedal robots for factories and homes.