# Robotic Hand Walks on Fingertips Like Addams Family Character

> ETH Zurich researchers built a robotic hand that walks on its fingertips, plays games, and operates independently.
- Title: Robotic Hand Walks on Fingertips Like Addams Family Character
- Summary: ETH Zurich researchers built a robotic hand that walks on its fingertips, plays games, and operates independently. A human-like robotic hand can walk on its…
- Keywords: eth zurich, soft robotics lab, robotic hand, fingertip walking, sokoban game, reinforcement learning, anthropomorphic robot, disembodied hand, mobility, humanoid robots, science, technology
- Source: Futurism — https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/disembodied-walking-robot-hand-addams-family
- Author: Frank Landymore
- Published: 2026-09-27T11:01:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: eth zurich, soft robotics lab, robotic hand, fingertip walking, sokoban game, reinforcement learning, anthropomorphic robot, disembodied hand, mobility, humanoid robots, science, technology
## Walking Hand Created
ETH Zurich researchers built a robotic hand that walks on its fingertips, navigates surfaces, and plays Sokoban.

> A robotic hand with its own mobility could operate in confined workspaces without requiring the arm that normally carries it to follow.
## How It Walks
The hand uses reinforcement learning to walk on uneven surfaces while balancing on its fingers.
## Game Play
The hand pressed arrow keys to complete a Sokoban puzzle while maintaining balance.
## Real-World Use
The hand can navigate multiple surfaces and interact with objects without a host robot.

> Giving robotic hands their own mobility could make future robots more versatile in the spaces and interfaces built for people.
## Why It Works
Researchers trained the hand using reinforcement learning to walk on its fingers without modifying the hand's structure.
## Key takeaway

A human-like robotic hand can walk on its own, navigate surfaces, and interact with objects without a host robot.