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research article

A detachable crawling robotic hand

Gao, Xiao  
•
Yao, Kunpeng
•
Junge, Kai  
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January 20, 2026
Nature Communications

The human hand is often viewed as the pinnacle of dexterity, and many robotic hands adopt anthropomorphic designs, while others pursue non-anthropomorphic forms for structural balance or task optimization. However, human-like asymmetry and reliance on a single thumb limit applications that require symmetry or modularity, and most designs still struggle to combine autonomous movement, multi-object grasping, and modularity in one platform. We present a reversible finger design that allows grasping from both sides, with finger placement optimized to distribute roles and satisfy grasping and crawling constraints. In this work, we show that a detachable, reversible hand reliably combines manipulation and locomotion, enabling beyond-reach multi-item retrieval during crawling, one-handed tool use, and seamless bridging of stationary manipulation with autonomous mobility for industrial, service, and exploratory robotics.

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10.1038_s41467-025-67675-8.pdf

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Main Document

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Published version

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openaccess

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CC BY-NC-ND

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2.48 MB

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c964a08350c8539dc68e3f16c68fc247

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