When people interact with intelligent agents, they likely rely upon a wide range of existing knowledge about machines, minds, and intelligence. This knowledge not only guides these interactions, but it can be challenged and potentially changed by interaction experiences. The science of computation has systematically abstracted away the physical world. Embedded software systems, however engage the physical world. Human beings interact physically with environment using their hands. Robotic hand systems can be used in hazardous environments such as those encountered in nuclear, military, chemical, underwater, and space applications. Robots have the potential to play a large role in our world. However, as the potential use for robots grows, so does their need to interact with objects in their environment. An embedded computer controlled four fingered robotic hand is designed and developed with a simple and minimal control strategy to pick and place applications. The approach is based on anthropomorphic design with three fingers and an opposing thumb. Each finger has three links and three double revolute joints. Each finger is actuated by a single antagonistic pair of tendons. The robot hand system is interfaced to embedded computer with software control by means of 14 independent commands for the movement of fingers. Reliable grasping and releasing is achieved with simple control mechanism and IR sensors/push-button switches. The hand can pick a variety of objects with different surface characteristics and shapes without having to reconstruct its surface description. Picking of the object is successfully completed as long as the object is within the workspace of the hand and placed the object at the desired position within the workspace by relevant software control using keyboard commands. Details of hand control hardware and software for mainly pick and place applications are presented in this paper. Results of the experimental work for pick and place applications of different objects are enumerated.