Reliable, general-purpose gripping is still an unsolved problem. Especially in the consumer space. Your body has the near-miraculous ability of repairing itself

Reliable, general-purpose gripping is still an unsolved problem. Especially in the consumer space. Your body has the near-miraculous ability of repairing itself continuously. Most gripper technologies require regular maintenance or they start to fail: suction cups wear out, sandbags start to lose elasticity, rubber gripping points get worn smooth. In an industrial setting, this is something that's manageable with maintenance schedules and the like, but will consumers be happy to replace suction cups every month so their robot doesn't start dropping dishes on the floor?