A gripper tooling, comprising: a gripper having a gripper body and at least one jaw connected and linearly sliding relative to the gripper body; at least one slider connected to the at least one jaw ; and at least one tooling member configured for gripping a workpiece , each said tooling member including: a base slideably mounted to the at least one slider ; at least one middle segment pivotally connected to the base ; a distal segment pivotally connected to the at least one middle segment ; an adducting tendon having a proximal end attached to the at least one slider and a distal end attached to the distal segment ; and an abducting tendon having a proximal end attached to the base and a distal end attached to the distal segment such that the at least one tooling member is configured for autonomously gripping the workpiece as the at least one jaw moves toward the workpiece and the at least one tooling member is configured to autonomously return to an ungripped position as the at least one jaw moves away from the workpiece , the at least one tooling member being configured to grip the workpiece once the base is brought to rest by the at least one tooling member acting against the workpiece , after which the slider is configured to continue to translate under the action of the gripper jaw relative to the stationary base , thereby stretching the abducting tendon , wherein an external strip composed of an elastomeric material or a spring functions as the abducting tendon which is configured to constantly apply a torque to segments to restore the segments. a gripper having a gripper body and at least one jaw connected and linearly sliding relative to the gripper body; at least one slider connected to the at least one jaw ; and at least one tooling member configured for gripping a workpiece , each said tooling member including: a base slideably mounted to the at least one slider ; at least one middle segment pivotally connected to the base ; a distal segment pivotally connected to the at least one middle segment ; an adducting tendon having a proximal end attached to the at least one slider and a distal end attached to the distal segment ; and an abducting tendon having a proximal end attached to the base and a distal end attached to the distal segment such that the at least one tooling member is configured for autonomously gripping the workpiece as the at least one jaw moves toward the workpiece and the at least one tooling member is configured to autonomously return to an ungripped position as the at least one jaw moves away from the workpiece , a base slideably mounted to the at least one slider ; at least one middle segment pivotally connected to the base ; a distal segment pivotally connected to the at least one middle segment ; an adducting tendon having a proximal end attached to the at least one slider and a distal end attached to the distal segment ; and an abducting tendon having a proximal end attached to the base and a distal end attached to the distal segment such that the at least one tooling member is configured for autonomously gripping the workpiece as the at least one jaw moves toward the workpiece and the at least one tooling member is configured to autonomously return to an ungripped position as the at least one jaw moves away from the workpiece , the at least one tooling member being configured to grip the workpiece once the base is brought to rest by the at least one tooling member acting against the workpiece , after which the slider is configured to continue to translate under the action of the gripper jaw relative to the stationary base , thereby stretching the abducting tendon , wherein an external strip composed of an elastomeric material or a spring functions as the abducting tendon which is configured to constantly apply a torque to segments to restore the segments. <EOS>