DARPA's Low Cost Hand Hardware

The ARM-H track of DARPA's Autonomous Robotic Manipulation (ARM) program focuses on development of robust, low-cost and dexterous robotic hand hardware. DARPA funded performers to design and build hand mechanisms that could replace the claw-like hands currently used on robots with hands incorporating 3-4 fingers and useable palms. The teams successfully produced hands that can be manufactured for as little as $3,000 per unit (in batches of 1,000 or more), down from the $50,000 cost of current technology. The new hands also incorporate sufficient dexterity to enable manipulation of objects in their fingers when controlled by a skilled operator.

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New incremental encoder IERF3 L from FAULHABER

New incremental encoder IERF3 L from FAULHABER

FAULHABER is expanding its product range with the ultra-precise incremental encoder IERF3 L. Thanks to the optical measuring principle and state-of-the-art chip technology, the device offers the highest resolution, excellent repeatability, and outstanding signal quality. In typical applications, the positioning accuracy is 0.1° and the repeatability 0.007°. This makes the encoder the perfect solution for high-precision positioning applications in confined spaces.