Robots can lift heavy loads and work nonstop, tirelessly moving boxes or assembling parts on an assembly line. But ask them to perform something simple for a human, like turning a door handle ...

Designing a human-inspired hand that can bend backward to pick up a broad range of objects and detach itself to crawl over to another firmly plants it inside the uncanny valley.

A recent trial revealed that it could pick up soft foam blocks and jagged metal pieces without damage or loss of control.