Lightweight Robotic Hand with Antagonistic Bowden-Cable Actuation
Published:Dec 31, 2025 06:07
•1 min read
•ArXiv
Analysis
This paper addresses the challenge of creating lightweight, dexterous robotic hands for humanoids. It proposes a novel design using Bowden cables and antagonistic actuation to reduce distal mass, enabling high grasping force and payload capacity. The key innovation is the combination of rolling-contact joint optimization and antagonistic cable actuation, allowing for single-motor-per-joint control and eliminating the need for motor synchronization. This is significant because it allows for more efficient and powerful robotic hands without increasing the weight of the end effector, which is crucial for humanoid robots.
Key Takeaways
- •Proposes a lightweight anthropomorphic hand design.
- •Utilizes antagonistic Bowden-cable actuation for single-motor-per-joint control.
- •Achieves high grasping force and payload capacity.
- •Demonstrates dexterity through Cutkosky taxonomy grasps.
- •Reduces distal mass, crucial for humanoid robot payload capacity.
Reference
“The hand assembly with a distal mass of 236g demonstrated reliable execution of dexterous tasks, exceeding 18N fingertip force and lifting payloads over one hundred times its own mass.”