Development of an anthropomorphic hand for a mobile assistive robot

In this paper the mechanism, design, and control system of a new humanoid-type hand with human-like manipulation abilities is discussed. The hand is designed for the humanoid robot which has to work autonomously or interactively in cooperation with humans. The ideal end effector for such a humanoid would be able to use the tools and objects that a person uses when working in the same environment. Therefore, a new hand is designed for anatomical consistency with the human hand. This includes the number of fingers and the placement and motion of the thumb, the proportions of the link lengths, and the shape of the palm. The hand can perform most of human grasping types. In this paper, particular attention is dedicated to measurement analysis, technical characteristics, and functionality of the hand prototype. Furthermore, first experience gained from using hand prototypes on a humanoid robot is outlined.