diff --git a/v2/cell/articulated_cell_scene.xml b/v2/cell/articulated_cell_scene.xml
index 685747a..c5031bf 100644
--- a/v2/cell/articulated_cell_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/articulated_cell_scene.xml
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ defaults.
 <mujoco model="openarm_v20_articulated_cell">
   <compiler angle="radian"/>
 
+  <option cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
+
   <default>
     <default class="fixture">
       <geom type="box" contype="1" conaffinity="1" friction="1 0.01 0.01" rgba="0.55 0.45 0.32 1"/>
diff --git a/v2/cell/bottle_cell_scene.xml b/v2/cell/bottle_cell_scene.xml
index d373dd8..fc489c5 100644
--- a/v2/cell/bottle_cell_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/bottle_cell_scene.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ cell table top z=1.005). The cell provides floor, lights, cameras and the
 <mujoco model="openarm_v20_bottle_cell">
   <compiler angle="radian"/>
 
+  <option cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
+
   <default>
     <default class="visual">
       <geom contype="0" conaffinity="0" group="2"/>
diff --git a/v2/cell/cell.xml b/v2/cell/cell.xml
index 803e9c4..3ec249f 100644
--- a/v2/cell/cell.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/cell.xml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ limitations under the License.
   </default>
 
   <statistic center="1.3 0 0.6" extent="3.5" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10" />
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/cell/demo.xml b/v2/cell/demo.xml
index c3f0a3d..9fc6d07 100644
--- a/v2/cell/demo.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/demo.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ limitations under the License.
   <compiler angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="1.3 0 0.6" extent="3.5" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/cell/move_puck_cell_scene.xml b/v2/cell/move_puck_cell_scene.xml
index fea319a..bfc745e 100644
--- a/v2/cell/move_puck_cell_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/move_puck_cell_scene.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cell table top z=1.005). The cell provides floor, lights, cameras and the
   <compiler angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="1.3 0 0.6" extent="3.5" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/cell/peg_socket_cell_scene.xml b/v2/cell/peg_socket_cell_scene.xml
index 1753b83..f699f2d 100644
--- a/v2/cell/peg_socket_cell_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/peg_socket_cell_scene.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ the "home" keyframe via <attach>; the peg starts at its body-pos default.
   <compiler angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="1.3 0 0.6" extent="3.5" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/cell/tool_cell_scene.xml b/v2/cell/tool_cell_scene.xml
index f8edfd6..f5e7462 100644
--- a/v2/cell/tool_cell_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/tool_cell_scene.xml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ at their body-pos defaults.
   <compiler angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="1.3 0 0.6" extent="3.5" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/cell/valve_cell_scene.xml b/v2/cell/valve_cell_scene.xml
index ab2d67b..7b3cad0 100644
--- a/v2/cell/valve_cell_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/cell/valve_cell_scene.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ cell table top z=1.005). The cell provides floor, lights, cameras and the
 <mujoco model="openarm_v20_valve_cell">
   <compiler angle="radian"/>
 
+  <option cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
+
   <default>
     <default class="fixture">
       <geom type="box" contype="1" conaffinity="1" friction="1 0.01 0.01" rgba="0.55 0.45 0.32 1"/>
diff --git a/v2/openarm_bimanual.xml b/v2/openarm_bimanual.xml
index 0a4e8e9..0bd77d3 100644
--- a/v2/openarm_bimanual.xml
+++ b/v2/openarm_bimanual.xml
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ limitations under the License.
         <motor forcelimited="true" forcerange="-7 7" />
       </default>
       <default class="motor_finger">
-        <joint limited="true" type="hinge" damping="2" />
+        <!-- The finger joints are the only driven joints without rotor inertia;
+             holding an object with a partly closed jaw made them ring against
+             the contact at ~11 Hz.  Matches the DM4310 armature the finger
+             actuator is tuned as. -->
+        <joint limited="true" type="hinge" damping="2" armature="0.01" />
         <position forcelimited="true" forcerange="-333 333" ctrllimited="true" ctrlrange="0 0.7854" />
       </default>
       <default class="lifter">
@@ -61,6 +65,13 @@ limitations under the License.
       <default class="collision">
         <geom material="collision_material" condim="3" conaffinity="1" priority="1" group="3" solref="0.005 1" friction="1 0.01 0.01" />
         <equality solimp="0.99 0.999 1e-05" solref="0.005 1" />
+        <!-- The fingertips grip with condim=4, which activates the torsional
+             friction coefficient (the second entry of friction) so a pinched
+             object cannot spin about the pinch axis.  0.01 m is the effective
+             radius of the pad's contact patch; rolling friction stays off. -->
+        <default class="fingertip">
+          <geom condim="4" />
+        </default>
       </default>
       <default class="visual">
         <geom material="visualgeom" contype="0" conaffinity="0" group="2" />
@@ -68,6 +79,15 @@ limitations under the License.
     </default>
   </default>
   <compiler angle="radian" meshdir="assets" />
+
+  <!-- Grasping needs the elliptic friction cone: under the default pyramidal
+       cone a pinched object creeps out of the jaws under load however high the
+       friction coefficients are, and impratio raises the stiffness of the
+       friction constraints relative to the normal ones so a firmly held object
+       stops sliding on the pads.  <option> does not carry across <attach>, so
+       every scene repeats these two settings. -->
+  <option cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
+
   <asset>
     <material name="collision_material" rgba="0.8 0.2 0.2 0.5" />
     <material name="visualgeom" rgba="0.7 0.7 0.7 1" />
@@ -239,10 +259,10 @@ limitations under the License.
                       <geom name="finger_inner_left_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_00" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_inner_left_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_01" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_inner_left_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_02" class="visual" material="pale_silver" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_00" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_01" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_02" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_03" class="collision" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_00" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_01" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_02" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_left_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_left_collision_03" class="fingertip" />
                     </body>
                     <body name="openarm_left_ee_outer_finger" pos="-0.00143 0.018 -0.068">
                       <inertial pos="-0.012796 0.0020183 -0.026792" quat="0.982097 -0.0906989 -0.165079 0.00294117" mass="0.11372" diaginertia="3.70662e-05 3.60159e-05 1.33599e-05" />
@@ -250,10 +270,10 @@ limitations under the License.
                       <geom name="finger_outer_left_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_00" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_outer_left_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_01" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_outer_left_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_02" class="visual" material="pale_silver" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_00" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_01" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_02" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_03" class="collision" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_00" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_01" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_02" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_left_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_left_collision_03" class="fingertip" />
                     </body>
                   </body>
                 </body>
@@ -327,10 +347,10 @@ limitations under the License.
                       <geom name="finger_inner_right_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_00" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_inner_right_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_01" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_inner_right_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_02" class="visual" material="pale_silver" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_00" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_01" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_02" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_03" class="collision" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_00" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_01" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_02" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_inner_right_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_inner_right_collision_03" class="fingertip" />
                     </body>
                     <body name="openarm_right_ee_outer_finger" pos="-0.00143 -0.018 -0.068">
                       <inertial pos="-0.012796 -0.0020183 -0.026792" quat="0.982097 0.0906989 -0.165079 -0.00294117" mass="0.11372" diaginertia="3.70662e-05 3.60159e-05 1.33599e-05" />
@@ -338,10 +358,10 @@ limitations under the License.
                       <geom name="finger_outer_right_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_00" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_outer_right_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_01" class="visual" material="matte_black" />
                       <geom name="finger_outer_right_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_02" class="visual" material="pale_silver" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_00" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_01" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_02" class="collision" />
-                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_03" class="collision" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_00" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_00" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_01" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_01" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_02" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_02" class="fingertip" />
+                      <geom name="finger_outer_right_collision_03" type="mesh" mesh="finger_outer_right_collision_03" class="fingertip" />
                     </body>
                   </body>
                 </body>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/articulated_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/articulated_scene.xml
index 6fe3c5f..d0460f9 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/articulated_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/articulated_scene.xml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ for either arm. (The turnable valve lives in valve_scene.xml.)
   </default>
 
   <statistic center="0.30 0 0.55" extent="1.2" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001"/>
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/balance_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/balance_scene.xml
index 02d58bd..6bd5e55 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/balance_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/balance_scene.xml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ it at runtime after posing the arm.
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="0.30 -0.05 0.60" extent="1.1" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001"/>
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/bottle_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/bottle_scene.xml
index ed18cee..47c1005 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/bottle_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/bottle_scene.xml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ the cap let either arm grasp and unscrew it.
   </default>
 
   <statistic center="0.30 0 0.55" extent="1.2" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001"/>
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/catch_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/catch_scene.xml
index e8f803d..9b2bd9c 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/catch_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/catch_scene.xml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ two-ball catch.
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="0.3 -0.2 0.9" extent="1.4" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001"/>
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/move_puck_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/move_puck_scene.xml
index 5c24af1..0c333f5 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/move_puck_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/move_puck_scene.xml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ puck can be pushed to a goal with the closed gripper, or grasped and placed
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="0 0 0.6" extent="1.1" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10" />
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/openarm_pedestal.xml b/v2/pedestal/openarm_pedestal.xml
index 8d29970..9800e94 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/openarm_pedestal.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/openarm_pedestal.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ Scene furniture (floor, lights, cameras, keyframes) stays in the scenes.
 <mujoco model="openarm_pedestal">
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
+  <option cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
+
   <default>
     <default class="pedestal_visual">
       <geom contype="0" conaffinity="0" group="2" />
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/pedestal.xml b/v2/pedestal/pedestal.xml
index 31b408a..f41f950 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/pedestal.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/pedestal.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ limitations under the License.
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="1.3 0 0.6" extent="3.5" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10" />
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/peg_socket_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/peg_socket_scene.xml
index 3ef4d7b..7a3ef0a 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/peg_socket_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/peg_socket_scene.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ it needs no yaw alignment.
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="0 0 0.6" extent="1.1" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10" />
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/throw_multi_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/throw_multi_scene.xml
index 9bcb653..397bab7 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/throw_multi_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/throw_multi_scene.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cell table. The "throw_ready" keyframe is a wind-up-adjacent start pose.
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="0.4 -0.1 0.5" extent="1.4" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10" />
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/throw_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/throw_scene.xml
index 3290026..f7829f4 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/throw_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/throw_scene.xml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ table - the large tabletop would cover the bin's landing area. The
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="0.4 -0.1 0.5" extent="1.4" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10" />
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/tool_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/tool_scene.xml
index 9b28efa..03a89d1 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/tool_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/tool_scene.xml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ even farther goal marker.
   <compiler meshdir="../assets" angle="radian"/>
 
   <statistic center="0 0 0.6" extent="1.2" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001" />
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10" />
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/v2/pedestal/valve_scene.xml b/v2/pedestal/valve_scene.xml
index 556b593..269d120 100644
--- a/v2/pedestal/valve_scene.xml
+++ b/v2/pedestal/valve_scene.xml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ graspable knob at the lever tip and inactive grasp welds for either arm.
   </default>
 
   <statistic center="0.30 0 0.55" extent="1.2" meansize="0.05"/>
-  <option timestep="0.001"/>
+  <option timestep="0.001" cone="elliptic" impratio="10"/>
 
   <visual>
     <headlight diffuse="0.6 0.6 0.6" ambient="0.3 0.3 0.3" specular="0 0 0"/>
diff --git a/web/main.js b/web/main.js
index 80e66ba..8274ace 100644
--- a/web/main.js
+++ b/web/main.js
@@ -224,6 +224,10 @@ class App {
 
   async loadScene(scenePath) {
     this.disposeScene();
+    // The scene-switch handler writes "loading…" straight into the status
+    // element behind updateStatus's cache; drop the cache, or a scene that
+    // settles to the exact same status text would never repaint over it.
+    this.lastStatus = null;
     this.scenePath = scenePath;
     this.teleop.reset();
     this.lifterHeight = 0;