From the Uncanny Valley: Actroid-F

Actroids are a brand of humanoid androids developed by Osaka University and manufactured by Kokoro Company Ltd. The skin is composed of a silicone compound that gives them a staggering human-like visual appereance, and they posses an array of internal sensors that allow Actroid models to react with a natural appearance by way of air actuators placed at many points of articulation in the upper body.

Their latest model, the Actroid-F, can track the operator’s facial expressions and head movements, and replicate them with impressive accuracy. The android is being positioned as an observer in hospitals to gauge patient reactions.
SOURCE: RoboTimes

Universal robotic gripper

Gripping and holding of objects are key tasks for robotic manipulators. The development of universal grippers able to pick up unfamiliar objects of widely varying shape and surface properties remains, however, challenging. Most current designs are based on the multifingered hand, but this approach introduces hardware and software complexities. These include large numbers of controllable joints, the need for force sensing if objects are to be handled securely without crushing them, and the computational overhead to decide how much stress each finger should apply and where.

In this robotic hand, individual fingers are replaced by a single mass of granular material that, when pressed onto a target object, flows around it and conforms to its shape. Upon application of a vacuum the granular material contracts and hardens quickly to pinch and hold the object without requiring sensory feedback. "Universal robotic gripper based on the jamming of granular material", PNAS, 17 Sept 2010