This robotic hand can crawl and pick up objects at the same time

This robotic hand can crawl over to objects before picking them up. — Xiao Gao/Youtube.com

Researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a robotic hand that can detach from its arm and crawl, spider-like, to retrieve and handle objects that would otherwise be out of reach. At the end of its mission, it can even reattach back onto its arm.

In terms of potential uses, the idea is to one day be able to retrieve out-of-reach objects thanks to this invention. If an object is out of reach of the arm, the hand can be released. The hand can then reattach to the robot's wrist using magnets for alignment and a screw mechanism for locking it in place.