Robot, bring me… processed junk food!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Humans have no problem handling delicate items. Robots, on the other hand, lack in this department.
So Siqi Shang and team at the University of Texas, Austin, have developed the FORTE technology.
FORTE stands for Fragile Object Grasping with Tactile Sensing. It uses a fish-fin inspired gripping system with internal air channel sensors.
Robots with this technology can grasp items as fragile as potato chips and raw eggs. It also features slip detection! The robots were able to successfully handle items ninety-two percent of the time!
Finally, a way to keep my hands clean while eating Cheeto Puffs!
Reference: Shang, S., Seo, M., Zhu, Y., & Chin, L. (2026). Forte: Tactile force and slip sensing on compliant fingers for delicate manipulation. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.