Shadow Dexterous Hand Review: Specs and Uses of the 24-Joint Robot Hand

The Shadow Dexterous Hand is a five-finger robot hand with 24 joints, made by Shadow Robot Company in London. The manufacturer does not publish a price. This review covers its specifications, versions and uses.

Quick Verdict

The Shadow Hand has been the reference hand for dexterous manipulation research for many years. Twenty motors in the forearm pull tendons to drive 20 degrees of freedom, with four further coupled movements, for 24 joints in all, including two in the wrist. More than 100 sensors, among them 40 tendon load sensors, report at up to 1 kHz over EtherCAT, and the whole system is integrated in ROS. The price of this is weight, 4.3 kg, and complexity. For simpler needs Shadow offers Lite versions down to a thumb and one finger.

Shadow Dexterous Hand at a Glance

• Joints: 24

• Actuated degrees of freedom: 20

• Actuators: 20 tendon-driven DC motors

• Weight: 4.3 kg

• Sensors: more than 100

• Price: on request

Shadow Dexterous Hand Versions and Specifications

The table below compares the full hand with the Lite versions.

Specification	Dexterous Hand	Lite	Extra Lite	Super Lite
Fingers	4 and thumb	3 and thumb	2 and thumb	1 and thumb
Degrees of freedom	20 actuated	13	10	7
Joints	24	16	12	8
Motors	20	13	10	7
Wrist joints	2	0	0	0
Tendon load sensors	40	26	20	14
Tactile fingertips, standard / maximum	2 / 5	2 / 4	1 / 3	1 / 2
Weight	4.3 kg	2.4 kg	2.1 kg	1.8 kg

All versions have one IMU and a 1 kHz control loop over EtherCAT. Payload and speed are not stated on the page used.

Design and Build Quality

Each finger has four joints and the thumb five. Motors sit in the forearm and act through tendons, which keeps the fingers slim and human-sized. Shadow states that the Lite models use 35% less power than the five-finger hand.

Programming and Software

ROS

The hand is fully integrated in ROS.

EtherCAT

Control and sensing run at 1 kHz over EtherCAT.

Arm Option

The hand is offered with a 6-axis Universal Robots arm.

Shadow Dexterous Hand Applications and Use Cases

Manipulation Research

In-hand manipulation and learning of dexterous skills.

Teleoperation

Human hand movements map to a hand of human shape.

Handling Human Tools

Shadow describes the hand as able to handle objects designed for humans.

Shadow Dexterous Hand Price and Value

Shadow Robot does not publish a price; the hand is quoted on request.

For the company behind the product, read the Shadow Robot Company Profile: History, Products, Partners and Leadership.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• 24 joints, close to the human hand

• More than 100 sensors

• 1 kHz control

• Full ROS integration

• Lite versions for simpler tasks

Cons

• 4.3 kg

• Complex tendon mechanism

• Payload and speed not stated on the page used

• No published price

Who Should Buy the Shadow Dexterous Hand?

It fits research laboratories and teleoperation developers who need the closest available match to a human hand.

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Shadow Dexterous Hand FAQ

How much does the Shadow Dexterous Hand cost?

Shadow Robot does not publish a price; it is quoted on request.

How many joints does the Shadow Dexterous Hand have?

24, with 20 actuated degrees of freedom.

How is the Shadow Dexterous Hand driven?

By 20 DC motors through tendons.

How much does the Shadow Dexterous Hand weigh?

4.3 kg.

How many sensors does the Shadow Dexterous Hand have?

More than 100, running at up to 1 kHz.

Does the Shadow Dexterous Hand support ROS?

Yes. It is fully ROS integrated.

What are the Shadow Hand Lite versions?

The Lite, Extra Lite and Super Lite, with three, two or one finger plus a thumb.

Which robot arm is the Shadow Hand used with?

It is offered with a Universal Robots arm.

Specifications are based on manufacturer information and may change.