Roboticists have to come up with all sorts of creative ways to stress test their robots. You wouldnt want your robo-maids arm to collapse under the weight of that food-laden serving tray, would you? So iRobot went straight to a baseball bat to demonstrate the resilience of a prototype robotic hand its been experimenting with.
Unlike most robotic body parts, which are made of rigid materials, this hand is made of flexible and soft rubber-like polymers. This means that instead of requiring extraordinarily precise, calculated movements to manipulate object, the robots fingers can press against things until they bend and grip. The individual fingers house electronics like tactile sensors and fishing line connected to motors that control movement.
