Johns Hopkins University engineers have created a groundbreaking prosthetic hand that can grip everyday objects like a human hand.
This high-tech hand can carefully hold items like plush toys, water bottles, and even fragile cups without damaging them.
It is a major step forward in prosthetics, giving people with hand loss a more natural way to interact with the world.
Most robotic hands are either too rigid or too soft, making it hard to handle different objects smoothly.
This new design combines both soft and rigid elements, allowing the hand to adjust its grip just like a real human hand. The breakthrough was recently published in Science Advances.
“Our goal is to create a prosthetic hand that feels and functions like a real one,” said Sriramana Sankar, the lead biomedical engineer on the project. “We want people with upper-limb loss to interact safely with their environment and even hold their loved ones without worry.”
The secret behind this bionic hand is a mix of soft, air-filled fingers and a rigid 3D-printed skeleton. Its three layers of sensors, inspired by human skin, allow it to sense different textures and shapes, rather than just detecting touch.
The hand is controlled by muscle signals from the user’s forearm, just like most prosthetic hands. However, what makes this one unique is its ability to “feel” what it is touching. Machine-learning algorithms translate sensory signals into nerve-like messages, allowing users to experience a more natural sense of touch.
In tests, the robotic hand successfully identified and handled 15 different objects, including delicate stuffed animals, dish sponges, pineapples, and metal water bottles. It even managed to pick up a thin plastic cup filled with water using just three fingers—without denting it!
“The human hand is not completely rigid or purely soft—it’s a hybrid system with bones, soft joints, and tissue working together,” Sankar explained. “That’s what we wanted to replicate in our prosthetic hand. This approach is new for both robotics and prosthetics.”
To help users truly regain their sense of touch, a prosthetic hand needs three things: sensors to detect objects, a system to translate that information into nerve-like signals, and a way to stimulate nerves so the person can feel what they are holding. This new hand achieves all three.
“If you’re holding a cup of coffee, how do you know it’s slipping? Your fingertips send signals to your brain,” explained professor Nitish Thakor, who led the research team. “Our system mimics this process, allowing the prosthetic hand to sense touch in a way similar to human nerves.”
While this technology is still in its early stages, researchers hope to improve it with stronger grips, more sensors, and tougher materials.
“This hybrid technology isn’t just for prosthetic hands,” Thakor added. “Future robots will need to handle fragile materials like glass and fabric as well as heavy objects. A robotic hand designed like a human hand will be the key to unlocking new possibilities.”
