(WSJ) – Researchers face huge challenges in creating robotic hands equal to the real thing, but they’re getting closer. One big question: How many fingers?

Armies of humanoid robots are poised to march into the world’s factories. But before they’re ready to turn a wrench, they must solve what Elon Musk calls “the hands problem.” 

Creating the mechanical equivalent of the human hand is a challenge that has been stumping corporate and academic researchers for years. Replacing muscle and skin with motors and sensors is a critical step in making humanoids a versatile source of labor, potentially unlocking a global market that Morgan Stanley estimates could reach $5 trillion by 2050.  (Read More)