Humanoid Hand Design with 12 Degrees of Freedom (DOF) (ongoing project)

Objective:

Developed a humanoid robotic hand with 12 DOF for precise manipulation, closely mimicking the dimensions and kinematics of a human hand.

Approach:

Derived the hand component dimensions from anthropometric data of an actual human hand.
Designed finger kinematics to optimize the actuation process for the control unit, enhancing performance and reducing computational complexity.
Conducted rigid body dynamic simulations to evaluate key parameters such as finger retraction speed, spring loads, and pin forces to accurately predict joint wear and extend the life cycle of the mechanical components.

Outcome:

The design successfully replicated human hand movements with efficient actuation. The next iteration will enhance functionality by introducing abduction and adduction DOF, increasing the total DOF to 16.