A new study from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) demonstrates a significant advancement in robotic manipulation. Researchers have developed a system that allows a robot to perform complex, dexterous tasks using just its two-fingered gripper, such as opening a pill bottle, placing a phone on a charging cradle, and cutting paper with scissors. The innovation lies in the system’s ability to break down long-horizon tasks into manageable sub-tasks and to adapt its grip in real-time using visual and tactile feedback. This approach, which combines high-level planning with low-level reactive control, marks a step toward more versatile and adaptive robots capable of assisting in everyday environments. The full details of the research are available in the published article.