ABB Robotics and PSYONIC Use Human-Generated Data to Advance Robotic Dexterity
ABB Robotics is collaborating with California bionics company, PSYONIC, to advance robotic gripping and dexterity using a new approach that utilizes real-world manipulation data from human prosthetic use. By combining the PSYONIC Ability Hand with an ABB GoFa™ cobot, the collaboration will explore how touch and motion data generated by human prosthetic use can be used to train robots to perform delicate, variable tasks that have traditionally been difficult to automate.
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“Human dexterity and the instinctive understanding of how to handle different objects is one of the most difficult things to replicate in industrial-grade robotics, but it’s a fundamental need for truly autonomous and versatile robots,” said Marc Segura, President, ABB Robotics. “As we develop the next generation physical AI, robots will learn and understand the world as we do. This collaboration with PSYONIC will help to close the long-standing gap between human and robot dexterity, opening up new possibilities for a wide range of industries.”
Grasping and dexterity are central to Autonomous Versatile Robotics (AVR™) – ABB Robotic’s vision for robots that can sense, reason, move and handle objects with precision in dynamic environments. They are also critical to advancing physical AI in industry: robotic systems that can learn from real-world interaction and apply that intelligence with industrial-grade reliability. The collaboration will explore new applications across numerous industries, including automotive, aerospace, packaging and logistics, and life sciences. By enabling robots to take on tasks that are repetitive, ergonomically challenging or difficult to perform consistently at scale, ABB Robotics and PSYONIC can help people and robots to work together more effectively, while improving productivity, flexibility and workplace safety.
PSYONIC is working closely with ABB Robotics’ R&D team on integration and development, exploring how touch-enabled manipulation can support next-generation autonomous robotics applications.
Revolutionizing robotic dexterity with human-generated data
Originally developed for prosthetic use, the PSYONIC Ability Hand combines myoelectric control, touch sensing and compliant mechanics in a lightweight, multi-articulating design. Its pressure sensors and vibration feedback system enable users to detect contact, grip force and release, while flexible fingers conform naturally to irregular and deformable objects.
“Dexterous manipulation is ultimately a data challenge as much as a hardware challenge,” said Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, Founder and CEO of PSYONIC. “By using the same Ability Hand on people and on robots, we can capture high-fidelity real-world data on movement, contact and grip force, then use that to train robotic systems more effectively. Integrating with ABB Robotics’ robotics platform allows us to expand into more environments and unlock the level of dexterity needed to take on the hardest challenges in automation.”
To support this work, ABB Robotics’ GoFa™ provides the accuracy and repeatability required for industrial-grade deployment, ensuring that subtle variations in grip force, finger positioning and movement can be consistently executed and evaluated. This level of precision is critical for translating human-derived manipulation data into reliable robotic performance across complex, variable tasks.
The collaboration will evaluate how this combined capability can be applied across industrial use cases where traditional gripping technologies struggle with variability, fragility or complexity – such as handling irregular or delicate objects. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), advanced gripping and digital integration can reduce engineering time by up to 30%, underlining the importance of end-of-arm tooling in accelerating deployment and improving automation ROI.
It also reflects ABB Robotics’ broader strategic approach of working with partners across its ecosystem to overcome long-standing barriers to automation. By combining robotics, AI and real-world manipulation data generated through human prosthetic use, ABB Robotics is advancing physical AI and enabling more capable, adaptable robots to operate reliably in real-world environments.
1International Federation of Robotics https://ifr.org/news/gripping-systems/ |
ABB Robotics as one of the world’s leading robotics companies, is the only company with a comprehensive and integrated AI-powered portfolio covering robots, cobots and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), designed and orchestrated by our value-creating software. We help companies of all sizes and sectors – from automotive to electronics and logistics – to outperform by becoming more resilient, flexible and efficient. ABB Robotics is at the forefront of developing and commercializing a new generation of Autonomous Versatile Robotics (AVR), leading a global innovation ecosystem of partners in advancing efficient hardware and intelligent software with industrial-grade performance. The business employs approximately 7,000 people. go.abb/robotics
PSYONIC Founded in 2015 and based in San Diego, PSYONIC develops advanced, accessible bionic systems designed to supercharge both humans and robots. The company builds advanced bionics that combine speed, strength, durability, and sensory feedback while advancing research at the intersection of robotics, brain-computer interfaces, and AI. The PSYONIC Ability Hand is the fastest dexterous hand on the market and the first to deliver touch feedback, enabling intuitive physical interaction for human users and generating rich datasets to improve robotic dexterity.
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