Boston Dynamics redesigns Atlas hand for tool use and easier repair

Boston Dynamics announced a redesigned Atlas robot hand with four fingers and 13 degrees of freedom, up from seven in the previous design, IEEE Spectrum reported. The fingers can spread apart to grip tools with triggers, including drills and welding torches. The design uses fewer, larger actuators than more human-like hands. Motors sit directly in the joints, and each actuator pack can be replaced as a unit without tendons or cables running across joints. Boston Dynamics is still determining what design details must change to manufacture 100,000 hands a year.