The primary objective of a soft robotic finger is to reproduce the functional versatility of the human hand by incorporating intrinsic flexibility. By mimicking the human finger’s morphology, structural organization, and kinematic behavior, the system enables anthropomorphic motion that provides enhanced adaptability and dexterity. This study introduces the design and evaluation of an underactuated, anthropomorphic finger prototype actuated by a pneumatic muscle. The natural compliance of the actuator allows the finger to adapt its shape to the contours of the grasped object. As a result, the proposed design supports both biomimetic motion in free space and adaptive grasping actions during interaction with a wide range of objects.
Bakos et al. (2026) studied this question.