Revolutionary Prosthetic Hand in Shanghai Merges Rigid and Soft Design
Shanghai, Tuesday, 11 March 2025.
Engineers in Shanghai have developed a prosthetic hand that integrates both rigid and soft elements, enabling it to adapt its grip seamlessly on different objects, promising advancements in prosthetic technology.
Breakthrough in Tactile Sensing
The prosthetic hand features an innovative multi-layer sensory system with three distinct layers of tactile sensors capable of identifying textures, shapes, and precise force requirements [1]. This groundbreaking development enables the device to process sensory information through machine learning algorithms, which convert the data into nerve-like signals for naturalistic feedback [1][3]. As demonstrated in controlled laboratory testing, the hand achieved an impressive 99.69% success rate in handling 15 different everyday items, ranging from delicate objects like stuffed animals to more substantial items such as cardboard boxes [1].
Advanced Control Mechanisms
The system utilizes sophisticated machine learning algorithms to integrate signals from artificial receptors embedded in the fingertips with muscle activity from the forearm, enabling precise control over grip strength and finger positioning [1][3]. Dr. Nitish Thakor, a Johns Hopkins biomedical engineering professor, explains: ‘If you’re holding a cup of coffee, how do you know you’re about to drop it? Your palm and fingertips send signals to your brain that the cup is slipping’ [3]. This biomimetic approach allows the prosthetic to provide users with intuitive control similar to that of a natural limb [1].
Market Context and Future Implications
This innovation emerges amid significant growth in China’s robotics sector, where investment in robotics startups has surged. In the first two months of 2025 alone, humanoid robot developers secured nearly 2 billion yuan (US$276 million) across 20 deals [4]. China’s dominant position in the global robotics ecosystem, controlling 56% of publicly-traded companies involved in humanoid robot development [4], suggests strong potential for further advancement and commercialization of this prosthetic technology.