The STL and CAD files carry no license, only the code is MIT, so reuse or modification of the design is legally unclear.
A five-finger, tendon-driven humanoid hand from New York University with 15 underactuated joints driven by 11 Dynamixel servos in a compact motor base. It has no joint encoders, so per-finger controllers learned from MANUS motion-capture glove data map fingertip targets to motor commands. Pretrained controllers are provided for builders without a glove.
At a glance
| Parts cost | $1,300 parts list · Sum of the prices in the project's parts list for the standard build. The project also describes cheaper $900 and $500 versions source ↗ |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 3/5 Intermediate · Clear step-by-step guide, but fine printing, tendon routing, PTFE tubes and calibration need care. |
| Build time | Under 7 hours with common hand tools (project-stated) source ↗ |
| Tools needed | 3D printer (0.12 mm layers, 100% infill for fingers, tree supports), soldering iron (heat-set inserts and harness), hex keys, small Phillips screwdriver, tweezers, razor blade, 2.5 mm drill bit for clearing dowel holes |
| Motors | 8 Dynamixel XL330-M288-T + 3 XM430-W350-R servos (cheaper all-XL330 option) |
| Controller | PC via Dynamixel U2D2, 5 V 30 A supply |
| Sensors | Servo encoders only; MANUS glove used for training data |
| Published | ✓ Parts list✓ CAD/STL✓ Assembly guide✓ Wiring✓ Software✓ Video GitBook step-by-step guide + Google Sheets parts list + Onshape + GitHub README |
| Activity | Last update 2025-08-11 · 199 GitHub stars · Discord; 29 forks |
| Kits | None found |
Licenses
No license is stated for the design files. They are published for building, but without a license the right to copy, modify or redistribute them is not granted.
| Design files | None found (STLs on GitBook and Onshape carry no license) source ↗ |
|---|---|
| Code | MIT source ↗ |
| Documentation | Project website CC BY-SA 4.0 (footer); GitBook none found source ↗ |
Builder notes
Practical points from the project's issue tracker, forum and docs, each linked to its source.
- The 3M TB400 grip tape in the parts list has been discontinued, and no verified substitute has been posted yet. source ↗
- The guide mentions a cheaper build with 11 XL330 motors, but the published motor-base side panel STL only fits the 8+3 mix, so that panel needs editing for the all-XL330 build. source ↗
- Printed dowel holes often warp, and the guide says to drill them out with a 2.5 mm bit rather than force pins in and crack the part. source ↗
- During calibration the knuckles sometimes do not fully curl, and the README says to push the finger gently by hand to complete the motion. source ↗
- The project page lists $1,300, $900 and $500 versions depending on the servos used. The parts list sheet prices the 8+3 Dynamixel build at about $1,307 without tools. source ↗
Other hands plans
- LEAP Hand · $1,800 (2023) · difficulty 2/5
- AmazingHand · $140 · difficulty 2/5
- UMI gripper (Universal Manipulation Interface) · $370 (2024) · difficulty 2/5
- Aero Hand Open · $320 · difficulty 3/5
- ORCA Hand · $2,000 · difficulty 4/5
- YUBI glove and gripper (Toyota) · $550–$750 · difficulty 4/5
- Yale OpenHand (Model T42 / Model O) · $1,400 · difficulty 3/5
- DexHand (The Robot Studio) · $300 (2023) · difficulty 4/5