ABB Robotics has announced a collaboration with California-based bionics company PSYONIC to advance robotic gripping and dexterity using real-world data from human prosthetic use.
The partnership combines the PSYONIC Ability Hand with an ABB GoFa cobot to explore how touch and motion data can train robots to perform delicate, variable tasks.
Such tasks have traditionally proven difficult to automate due to the complexity of replicating human-like grip sensitivity and finger control at an industrial scale.
Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics, described human dexterity as one of the hardest capabilities to replicate in industrial-grade robotics but called it a fundamental need for truly autonomous machines.
“As we develop the next generation physical AI, robots will learn and understand the world as we do,” Segura said, adding that the collaboration would help close the long-standing gap between human and robot dexterity.
The PSYONIC Ability Hand was originally developed for prosthetic use and combines myoelectric control, touch sensing and compliant mechanics in a lightweight, multi-articulating design.
Its pressure sensors and vibration feedback system allow users to detect contact, grip force and release, while flexible fingers conform naturally to irregular and deformable objects.
Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, Founder and CEO of PSYONIC, framed dexterous manipulation as “ultimately a data challenge as much as a hardware challenge,” highlighting the value of using the same device on both humans and robots.
“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,” Akhtar said.
The ABB GoFa cobot provides the accuracy and repeatability required for industrial-grade deployment, ensuring subtle variations in grip force and finger positioning can be consistently executed and evaluated.
The collaboration will explore applications across automotive, aerospace, packaging and logistics, and life sciences sectors where traditional gripping technologies struggle with variability, fragility or complexity.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, advanced gripping and digital integration can reduce engineering time by up to 30%, underlining the strategic importance of end-of-arm tooling in automation.
The work forms part of ABB Robotics’ broader vision for Autonomous Versatile Robotics, which centres on robots that can sense, reason, move and handle objects with precision in dynamic environments.
PSYONIC, founded in 2015 and based in San Diego, is working closely with ABB Robotics’ R&D team on integration and development to support next-generation autonomous robotics applications.
ABB Robotics employs approximately 7,000 people and positions itself as the only company offering a comprehensive, integrated AI-powered portfolio covering robots, cobots and Autonomous Mobile Robots.