# CMU research team develops human-inspired multisensory fingertips for DeltaHands robotic hand

- Source: CMU Robotics Institute
- Published: 2026-10-05T14:00:23.000Z
- RoboHot: https://robohot.news/en/items/r29yyibj868lphm4a6b4ze2g7
- Original: https://www.ri.cmu.edu/cmu-researchers-give-robots-a-delicate-touch/

## Summary

CMU researchers designed human-hand-inspired fingertips that can be mounted on the DeltaHands flexible robotic hand. They combine strain gauges to measure pinch pressure with a microphone that captures micro-vibrations through a plastic fingernail, enabling the hand to count paper cups, identify materials, and grasp fragile items such as tofu cubes and potato chips. Each fingertip costs less than 100 US dollars, compared with about 800 US dollars to build a similar setup from off-the-shelf products. The work was presented at the 2026 Intelligent Robots and Systems Conference in Pittsburgh.

## Why it matters

The original text provides details on the multimodal tactile design of the human-inspired fingertips and their cost of less than 100 US dollars, helping readers understand how force and vibration sensing support manipulation control.