Advanced Humanoid Robotic Hand

Sarcomere Dynamics is a humanoid robotics startup focused on developping highly dextrous robotic hands. I joined as a Mechatronics Engineering Intern to support rapid hardware iteration, CAD, and bench-top validation, so the team could test mechanisms quickly. 

I lead the development of the fingers for the next generation of robotic hands to be released (The Artus Dex). The full hand and wrist will have 26 DOF with my fingers having 4 DOF (1 underactuated) with precise angle measurements in all of the joints of the finger as well as force sensing capabilities at the finger tips. 

(Note that because the Artus Dex is not yet released I cannot share photos of my designs so the photos here are of the Artus Lite)

The ARTUS Dex is a universal, agnostic robotic hand designed to automate Dull, Dirty, and Dangerous tasks beyond the capabilities of conventional grippers. With 26 degrees of freedom, real-time force feedback from sensors on the finger tips, articulated wrist and a robust high-force grasp, it enables precise manipulation in industrial automation, teleoperations, and hazardous environments.

Built for plug-and-play integration, ARTUS Dex is compatible with all major robotic arms, making it easy to deploy without requiring a full system overhaul. Its lightweight, rugged design ensures durability in demanding applications, while AI-ready capabilities support intelligent grasping and adaptive automation.

With near-human dexterity at a fraction of the cost of competing technologies, ARTUS Dex will unlock the next chapter in automation.

During my internship, I led the mechanical design of the Artus Dex finger modules, combining SLS 3D-printed parts with aluminum machined parts to balance stiffness, weight, and serviceability. Each finger provided four degrees of freedom with an underactuated fingertip, allowing each joint 90° Flexion as well as 30° movement in abduction/adduction. Stray Field Immune Magnetic encoders were integrated at every joint to accurately measure each joint angle using compact, custom built PCBs embedded in the finger as well as an integrated force sensor on the finger tip for additional control and feedback. Silicon molded pads were developped to sit on each phalanx to increase grip friction and help shield ingress-prone gaps from dust. The actuation was cable-driven with a spring-based return for reliable extension, and I designed a streamlined wiring harness to route electrical wiring through the finger with minimal pinching or bunching, improving robustness and ease of assembly.

By the end of my internship I delivered a fully assembled, instrumented cable driven 4-DOF finger module for the Artus Dex, combining SLS-printed structures with machined aluminum links with spring return. The prototype achieved smooth, bidirectional motion and full-range encoder readout at each joint via embedded PCBs, harness routing, and underactuated fingertip concept. I handed off complete build assets (CAD, drawings, BOM, assembly notes, and basic test procedures) and ran initial bench checks to confirm kinematics, repeatability trends, and serviceability. Early testing also surfaced clear next-step improvements cable wear and pulley geometry, encoder magnet spacing/tolerance stack, and harness strain relief for a durability test campaign and design-for-manufacture pass. The module I developed is “feature-complete” for continued life testing and iteration, with the Artus Dex having an estimated release timeline projected for early 2026.

Overall I learned many things during this co-op from CAD design of humanoid robots to designing and soldering my own PCBs as well as the fast pace and ambiguity of startups. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and the mentorship at Sarcomere Dynamics!