Vikash Kumar

University of Washington

A University of Washington research team has custom built one of the most highly capable five-fingered robot hands in the world. They also developed an accurate simulation model that enables a computer to analyze movements in real time, and in their latest demonstration, apply the model to the hardware and real-world tasks like rotating an elongated object. With each attempt, the robot hand gets progressively more adept at spinning the tube, thanks to machine learning algorithms that help it model both the basic physics involved and plan which actions it should take to achieve the desired result.

Robotic Hand Gets a Grip

A University of Washington team has built a robot hand that can not only perform dexterous manipulation, but also learn from its own experience without needing humans to direct it.