An Anthropomorphic Robotic Hand Plays the Piano In a Remarkable Demonstration of Digital Dexterity

Researchers J.A.E Hughes, P Maiolino and Dr. Fumiya Iida from the Engineering Department at the University of Cambridge have developed a truly anthropomorphic 3D printed robotic hand to tackle small precise movements, such as playing the piano.

While this hand will not be playing any concertos any time soon, it was able to perform basic staccato and glissando techniques with far more digital dexterity than robots that have come before.

Compared with stiff-fingered robots, whose note hitting tends to be more precise but lacks style, the new robots were capable of more complex musical phrasing…The new hands might one day have touch sensors that can help the robot in tasks that require a delicate touch, like picking fruit or feeling for tumors. For humans, they could even be used to create more lifelike prosthetics.