While there are several barriers that will constrain growth of the humanoid robots market in the short to mid-term (see our latest findings and market projection for Humanoids in this published insight: Humanoid Robots: Large opportunity but limited uptake in the short-to-mid-term), the number of joints in each robot still presents a large opportunity for component vendors, highlighted in the chart below.
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Among the many components of humanoid robots, joint actuators undoubtedly play a crucial role, particularly in several key areas:
Although there are structural similarities between humanoid robot joints and collaborative robot joints, there are still many differentiated requirements that pose higher performance demands.
Among these, lightweight and miniaturization are primary goals and, as a result, high-torque density actuators are preferred. Lightweight joints help cut system weight, enhance flexibility, and reduce the energy consumption of joints, thereby improving battery life. The anthropomorphic requirements arising from high adaptability to human world mean that humanoid robot joints need human-like dimensions. For example humanoid robots are expected to perfectly fit in the space designed for a human and be capable to use tools designed for human. Therefore, humanoid robot joints require highly compact designs that tightly integrate relevant components such as motors, gearboxes, drives, encoders, and even sensors into a single module.
Low energy consumption and low temperature rise are critical, especially for humanoid robots with numerous joints but limited battery space. The energy utilization and heat dissipation capabilities of joints directly affect their endurance and overall performance. Additionally, humanoid robots should be able to react in real-time within complex changeable environments, which increases the requirements for joint dynamic control and adaptability. This poses higher challenges for joints’ peak torque and control algorithms.
Due to these differentiated technical requirements, in the early stages of development there was a relative lack of standardized, low-cost joint products that fully adapt to humanoid robots on the market. Instead, many humanoid robot vendors chose to invest in designing and even manufacturing joint actuators themselves to meet the specific needs of their products.
However, with the rise of the humanoid robot industry, over the past 12 months more and more robot component manufacturers have begun to actively create high-performance, cost-effective integrated joint products. These companies are striving to seize opportunities and become Tier 1 core suppliers in the humanoid robot industry supply chain. Many vendors specialized in motion control and drive technology – like Kollmorgen, Archimedes Drive, and TQ-System – have released their actuation solution for humanoids. In China, there are dozens of component vendors that have introduced off-the-shelf, integrated joint products for humanoids, including companies like TC Drive, Realman, and Kinco. This trend is expected to alleviate capacity constraints and the high cost of joint modules in the coming years, accelerating development of the industry.
Currently, hardware technology for humanoid robots is still iterating, with a wide variety of innovative solutions emerging. One reason behind this is that the downstream market and application scenarios for humanoid robots are still in the early proof-of-concept (POC) stage. Unlike the traditional industrial robots market, where mature applications have been developed, humanoid robots have enormous potential as a general-purpose automation platform. However, determining which specific scenarios will see them create significant productive value autonomously, and achieving efficient, reliable, scaled deployment still requires further exploration and validation.
This situation has created some uncertainty in the selection of hardware technologies. In joint design, although most manufacturers have reached a consensus on using harmonic modules for upper limb joints, there are still different technical solutions in the market. These include cycloidal actuators or quasi-direct drive solutions with extremely low gear ratios. For lower limb joints, harmonic, planetary, and RV rotary actuators and linear actuators based on screws all have corresponding manufacturers positioning themselves to lead the market. In terms of perception, although there appears to be consensus around multi-sensor fusion, identifying which specific sensor combinations to adopt and how to optimize fusion algorithms to adapt to different environments and tasks is still to be determined.
The diversity and rapid iteration of hardware technology routes reflect the innovative vitality of the industry on one hand, while on the other hand companies both upstream and downstream of the industry supply chain need to prepare for multiple possibilities and invest more resources in R&D and real-world validation. Which technology will eventually become mainstream largely depends on which specific scenarios can be successfully unlocked and scaled in the future: If humanoid robots achieve breakthroughs in the consumer sector first, then requirements for safety, low noise, low cost, and human-machine interaction friendliness will be higher. However, if they are widely applied in the industrial sector, then load capacity, operational efficiency and accuracy, and long-term reliability may be valued more highly. Therefore, hardware still needs more commercial deployment cases for validation and iteration to reach technical consensus and form industry standards. This will be crucial for large-scale adoption growth of humanoid technology.
Automated robots can already do so much that we tend to take them for granted. But how is it that they’re able to move, manipulate items, and complete tasks with such precision?
The answer is robot joints. In this article, we’ll show you the different types of robotic joints that make these robots so tremendously skilled.
We’ll cover:
Let’s get going!
Robot joints enable movement in robots by connecting two rigid links. The type of joint determines the range and nature of movement possible.
These joints allow robots to complete tasks with various levels of flexibility and dexterity. The most advanced versions can even allow bots to operate at superhuman levels.
Rotary joints, as the name suggests, enable rotational movement around an axis. These joints allow robots to twist and turn, which is essential for mobility and manipulation.
There are several types of rotary joints out there:
We’ll get into each of these types of robotic joints in more detail below.
Linear joints enable robots to move in a straight line. These joints typically consist of a movable element that slides or glides along a set of rails or guides.
The most common types are prismatic and slider joints:
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Twisting joints, known as revolute joints, allow for rotation around a single axis. They’re one of the simplest yet most useful types of robot joints.
A twisting joint has two links connected by a pin, serving as the rotation axis. One link stays fixed, while the other rotates around the pin. Many twisting joints can rotate a full 360 degrees, but often have limits built in for specific uses.
The joint is powered by an actuator, like an electric motor, which provides the force needed for rotation.
Twisting joints are all around us in robotics and automation.
They’re often found in robotic arms and hands, and are a perfect fit for tasks that involve:
Here are some specific examples of real-world robots and their use cases:
Revolute joints, also known as hinges, have a single axis of rotation. Think of a door hinge allowing a door to swing open and closed. Revolute joints are simple but essential, enabling elbows, knees, and fingers to bend.
A revolute joint consists of two links connected by a pin, which acts as the joint’s axis of rotation.
So, one link remains stationary, while the other rotates around the pin. Also, revolute joints can rotate through a full 360 degrees, although the rotation is often limited for specific applications.
The joint is also driven by an actuator.
Robotic arms and hands:
Some well-known examples of robots using revolute joints include:
Spherical joints are one of the most versatile types of robot joints. They open up movement in multiple directions at once — rotation, swiveling, and pivoting. These highly mobile joints provide robots with super-high levels of skill.
Spherical joints use ball and socket mechanisms that allow the joint to spin, swivel, and pivot freely in any direction. The ball, attached to one link, rotates within a socket, which is attached to the adjacent link. This construction gives spherical joints their signature multi-axial movement abilities.
Industrial robot arms: Many industrial robot arms integrate spherical joints in their shoulders, elbows, and wrists for:
Robotic grippers and hands Spherical joints are frequently found in robotic grippers and hands, providing:
Humanoid robots: Some humanoid robots utilize spherical joints to achieve highly articulated movements mimicking human joints:
A cylindrical joint allows motion in two degrees of freedom, linear motion along an axis and rotation around that same axis.
Think of it as a revolute joint that can slide up and down. This combination of rotation and translation allows for more complex movements and a greater range of motion.
There are some of the applications where these robot joints excel:
And those are the 6 key types of robot joints that enable robot arms to move — and groove.
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