Based on the long-term goal "robonauts for space" and the experiences DLR has gained so far in space robotics, the talk describes recent design and development results in DLR's robotics lab towards a new generation of "mechatronic" ultra-light weight robots with articulated hands. The design of fully sensorized joints with complete state feedback which has led to 7dof torque-controlled, "soft" robot arms with definable impedance in car- tesian space, is outlined. The just recently completed third light-weight arm generation is based on a fully modular carbon fibre shell structure, newly designed motors with exciting characteristics, and it gives the feeling that it comes close to the limits of what is techni- cally feasible today; in the same way the second generation of DLR's most highly inte- grated 4 finger-hand with its 13 actuators was completed now and adapted to the new arms. Thus it is hoped that major steps towards a new generation of space as well as service and personal robots have been achieved.
['Gerd Hirzinger', 'Norbert Sporer', 'Markus Schedl', 'Jörg Butterfaß', 'Markus Grebenstein']
Torque-Controlled Lightweight Arms and Articulated Hands: Do We Reach Technological Limits Now ?