Rochu Hand
8 000 USD
Suzhou Rochu Robotics Co., Ltd.
A motor-free biomimetic hand from Chinese soft-robotics maker Rochu. Fluid-driven artificial muscles pull 24 tendons across a 1:1 replica of the human hand skeleton, all visible through a translucent skin. Four muscles lift 3 kg. Currently a prototype.
Hand Score
6
Specifications and details:
| Strength [kg] | 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight [kg] | 0.9 |
| Number of fingers | 5 |
| Degrees of freedom, hands | 22 |
| Tactile/Force Sensors | N/A |
| Motor tech | Fluid-driven (hydraulic/pneumatic) artificial muscles contract under pressure and pull braided tendons, Muscles route through vascular-style internal channels. External pump and valve manifold required |
| Main structural material | Polymer skeleton and ligaments, braided-cord tendons, translucent elastomer skin |
| Manufacturer | Suzhou Rochu Robotics Co., Ltd. |
| Nationality | China |
| Website | https://www.softroboticgripper.com/ |
| Availability | In production |
Description
Rochu made its name on industrial soft grippers. Then it built a hand. The Chinese company unveiled a biomimetic hand in April 2026, and it broke from everything else in its catalogue. Rochu copied the human hand one to one. Bones, ligaments, and 24 tendons sit beneath a translucent skin. As a result, the whole mechanism stays visible while it moves.
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The hand runs without a single electric motor. Instead, fluid-driven artificial muscles thread through channels shaped like blood vessels. Pressure makes them contract, much as biological muscle does. They pull the tendons, and the joints follow. Four muscles lift a 3 kg kettlebell in Rochu’s demonstration. The fingers also flick through peace signs, counting, and other quick gestures. Because nothing inside is rigid, the hand stays soft and safe around people. Rochu still treats the project as a prototype, so it has not published a price or a spec sheet.
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Website: softroboticgripper.com
