Leadshine DH Series: 11 DoF Dexterous Hand with Multimodal Tactile Sensing

Leadshine, a premier global supplier of humanoid robot core components, has officially announced the launch of its groundbreaking Leadshine DH Series (Dex Hand). This launch marks a pivotal moment for the robotics industry, introducing a solution that combines industrial-grade reliability with the fine motor skills required for advanced automation.

With models ranging from 11 to 24 degrees of freedom (DoF), the Leadshine DH Series is engineered to address the critical bottleneck in robotics: affordable, reliable, and intelligent end-effectors for industrial, commercial, and household applications.

A Breakthrough in Dexterous Hand Technology

Built upon over two decades of motion control expertise, the Leadshine DH Series represents three years of intensive R&D and process optimization. Unlike traditional grippers, this dexterous hand solution is designed to mimic human adaptability.

Leadshine has identified five critical engineering advantages that set the DH Series apart in the global market:

1. High-Speed EtherCAT Communication

For real-time cerebellar control, speed is non-negotiable. The DH Series comes standard with 100MHz EtherCAT communication. This allows for a 100-fold increase in feedback speed compared to traditional hands, enabling millisecond-level real-time response.

• Connectivity: EtherCAT (100MHz), compatible with RS485 and CAN FD.
• Benefit: Enables high-frequency closed-loop control essential for dynamic balancing and reflex-like grasping.

2. Industrial-Grade Reliability

Reliability remains the primary challenge for humanoid robot core components. Leadshine addresses this by utilizing brushless coreless servo motors and a precision worm-gear drive system.

• Lifespan: Engineered for over 1 million grasping cycles.
• Protection: Features FOC (Field-Oriented Control) current loops and Soft Landing functions to prevent mechanical stress during operation.

3. Advanced Multimodal Tactile Sensing

To interact safely with the unstructured world, a robot must feel. The Leadshine DH Series integrates advanced multimodal tactile sensing capabilities. Standard models are equipped with 6 tactile sensors, while advanced versions offer multi-modal feedback (perceiving temperature, humidity, slippage, and vibration).

• Perception: Accurately detects normal force, tangential force, and slip, allowing the dexterous hand to handle fragile items like eggs or heavy tools with equal precision.

4. Exceptional Payload-to-Weight Ratio

High payload capacity usually comes with a weight penalty, but not with the DH Series.

• Capability: The hand achieves a remarkable payload capacity (reaching 30kg+ in hook grip scenarios for the DH116 model) while maintaining a lightweight profile.
• Single Finger Load: Up to 10kg force capability on specific models.
• Benefit: Ideal for logistics and material transport where lifting capability is paramount.

5. Cost-Performance Scalability

Leveraging Leadshine’s established supply chain for humanoid robot core components, the DH Series offers a competitive price-to-performance ratio. This scalability allows integrators to deploy dexterous hands in volume without breaking the bill of materials (BOM) budget.

Spotlight on the DH116: The General-Purpose Powerhouse

The first model to enter mass production is the DH116 dexterous hand. Designed as a "General Purpose" solution, it perfectly balances complexity with practicality.

• Degrees of Freedom: 11 DoF (6 Active + 5 Passive), providing sufficient dexterity for 90% of common manipulation tasks.
• Ultra-Lightweight: Weighing only 490 grams, it minimizes inertia on the robot arm.
• Load Capacity: World-leading payload capabilities relative to its size, supporting heavy-duty industrial tasks.
• Sensing: Comes standard with tactile sensors for intelligent feedback.

The DH116 is specifically optimized for high-volume scenarios in commercial automation and service robotics, where durability and cost are key drivers.

Expanding Application Scenarios

The Leadshine DH Series is designed to be the versatile end-effector for the next generation of robots. Primary application vectors include:

1. Humanoid Robots: Replacing rigid grippers with dexterous hands for home services and assembly.
2. Mobile Manipulation: Enabling AGVs and AMRs to interact with elevators, doors, and goods.
3. Collaborative Robots (Cobots): Safe interaction alongside human workers.
4. Quadruped Robots: Adding manipulation capabilities to inspection robot dogs.

Global R&D and OEM Capabilities

The development and production of the Leadshine DH Series are managed by Leadshine’s specialized subsidiary, Shenzhen Dexterous Drive & Control Technology Co., Ltd.

Equipped with Japanese-style coreless motor testing equipment and industrial-scale production lines, Shenzhen Dexterous offers flexible business models for global partners:

• Components: Supplying high-performance dexterous hand modules.
• Turnkey Solutions: Complete hand kits with SDKs (ROS, C++, Python).
• OEM/ODM Services: Joint development and custom assembly for major robotics OEMs.

By combining EtherCAT communication, multimodal tactile sensing, and robust mechanical design, Leadshine is setting a new standard for humanoid robot core components. The DH Series is not just a product; it is an enabler for the widespread adoption of intelligent robotics.

References

1. https://openelab.io/products/leadshine-dh116-robotic-dexterous-hand
2. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/H-F0PQU7AwQZa764hxaMog