A successful multifingered hand design-the case of the raccoon

In this paper, we consider the case of the raccoon, which has a dextrous five fingered hand and is renowned for its skills in dextrous manipulation. The kinematics of the raccoon hand are examined, and some critical differences and deficiencies with respect to the human hand design noted. We show how the raccoon successfully employs novel manipulation strategies in cases where the kinematics of its hands appear limited. Implications for the design and application of dextrous robotic hands are discussed.