Automation and Robotics Schunk and Bosch are Developing Industrial-Grade Robot Hands for Humanoids

Related Vendors

FAULHABER Drive Systems

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

SIMTOS (Seoul International Machine Tool Show)

Schunk and Bosch are combining their expertise to design a new generation of robotic hands. These are intended for use in humanoid systems and will handle highly flexible tasks in production and logistics.

Schunk SE & Co. KG and Robert Bosch Robotics GmbH will collaborate closely in the development of new technologies. The two companies have entered into a contractual partnership to jointly design an industrial-grade robotic hand. This innovative end effector is intended to seamlessly integrate into various humanoid robotic systems. The designers are deliberately incorporating specific requirements from diverse economic sectors into the project. Based on this, the partners aim to create entirely new application possibilities for automated processes in production and logistics.

Overcoming the Limits of Traditional Grippers

In modern manufacturing, robotic hands play an absolutely crucial role. Many everyday tasks in production and logistics require machines to safely handle a wide variety of objects, shapes, and materials. Traditional gripping systems often reach their technical limits with this enormous variation and can only perform complex operations to a limited extent. A humanoid robotic hand, on the other hand, acts as a flexible end effector that mimics human anatomy, thereby offering significantly greater adaptability. The focus of the new partnership is now on the joint development of an initial prototype as well as the necessary foundational technologies. The engineers plan to subsequently test the prototype directly in specific industrial applications.

In this ambitious project, both partners are contributing their individual strengths to a shared platform. The global technology corporation Bosch is bringing its extensive expertise in mechanics, precision mechanics, and electronics. Additionally, Bosch provides in-depth knowledge in software development and artificial intelligence. This contribution is complemented by valuable experience in the industrialization and scaling of products. The company also leverages its broad industry knowledge to integrate specific market requirements early in the development process.

On the other hand, the gripping technology specialist Schunk brings its combined expertise in flexible automation technology to the project. The company has around 20 years of practical experience in the design and development of humanoid hands. This pooling of knowledge aims to create an industrial hand that can be flexibly used for all types of humanoid robots.

Actuator Design and Edge AI

Improved Motion Quality for Humanoid Robots

First Prototype Presented at the Trade Fair in Berlin (Germany)

That these ambitious plans are already taking shape was recently demonstrated by the partners in Berlin (Germany). At the Bosch Connected World 2026 in June 2026, the companies presented a practical showcase. This demonstrator exemplified how quickly innovative robotics applications can be realized through collaborative partnerships. The system impressively illustrated the core capabilities of modern humanoid systems.

This included, among other things, the precise perception of the spatial environment, the safe gripping and handling of various objects, as well as the error-free execution of a complete, complex process. For this demonstration, the engineers combined a humanoid robot directly with an anthropomorphic robotic hand from Schunk.