A Wire-Driven Robotic Hand with Mode-Switchable Planetary Transmission for Dynamic Manipulation
Jeongseok Choi, Minsu Lee, WooSeong Shin, TaeWon Seo
AI summary
Problem
Most robotic hands prioritize dexterity and accuracy, sacrificing the rapid actuation needed for dynamic tasks like flicking or throwing. This limits their ability to perform real-world tasks requiring both precision and agility.
Approach
The authors designed a five-finger wire-driven hand integrated with a continuously variable planetary gear system that mechanically switches between torque-enhancing and speed-amplifying modes using a belt-driven mechanism.
Key results
- Prototype currently under fabrication and system integration
- Preliminary analytical results confirm feasibility of both torque and speed modes
- Belt-driven mechanism enables real-time mechanical mode switching
- Validation roadmap established for transmission, grasping, and dynamic manipulation tests
Why it matters
It provides a promising mechanical framework for next-generation robotic hands that must balance dexterous precision with agile, high-speed dynamic manipulation.
Abstract
Dynamic hand manipulation requires both pre- cise motion control and rapid actuation capability, yet most existing robotic hands are primarily optimized for dexterity and accuracy, often sacrificing speed performance. To address this limitation, this work presents a mode-switchable wire- driven robotic hand incorporating a planetary transmission mechanism capable of continuously varying output speed and torque characteristics. The proposed system operates in two distinct modes: a torque-enhancing mode for stable and precise grasping, and a speed-amplifying mode for agile dynamic motions such as flicking and throwing. A dedicated mechanical switching mechanism enables real-time transition between the two transmission modes according to task requirements. A full prototype of the five-finger robotic hand is currently under fabrication and system integration, and preliminary analytical results demonstrate the feasibility of both precise grasping and enhanced high-speed manipulation capability. These results validate the proposed transmission architecture as a promising solution for robotic hands requiring both dexterous and dynamic manipulation.