• ABB Robotics and PSYONIC collaborate to revolutionize grasping and dexterity, a core capability for Autonomous Versatile Robotics (AVR™)  
• ABB GoFa™ helps test PSYONIC’s Ability Hand for robotics, combining touch sensing, compliant design and human-derived training data
• Dexterity remains a major challenge for industry; improved handling can reduce engineering time by up to 30%¹

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.

“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.

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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.