High-Speed Actuator Enables Robot Hand to Grasp Playing Card

"MagLinkage" is a new high-speed actuator, developed at the University of Tokyo's Ishikawa Senoo Laboratory , that has a small size, low friction, and high torque. The actuator consists of a compact-size DD motor, a low-reduction ratio gear box, and a magnet gear. MagLinkage enables 1ms torque control and sensing, and high-back-drivability motion. A robot hand equipped with the actuator can slide and grasp a thin object like a playing card or sheet of paper on a table. The hand was able to grasp one piece from the pile of cards.