Key Points:
- Honda developed an advanced robotic hand capable of high dexterity, marking its return to industrial robotics following the retirement of ASIMO.
- The multi-fingered robotic hand can pick up a tiny 1.6-millimeter screw and lift heavy objects weighing up to 5 kilograms.
- Honda plans to commercialize the industrial system in the early 2030s to automate complex factory assembly lines.
- The company will launch a joint research project with RIKEN to advance Physical AI and enable autonomous robot learning.
Japanese manufacturer Honda is staging a major comeback in the robotics sector with an industrial focus. Following the retirement of its iconic ASIMO humanoid robot, engineering teams spent years working quietly behind the scenes to solve complex automation challenges. The result of that quiet research is a newly unveiled multi-fingered robotic hand that combines delicate fine motor control with heavy-lifting strength, designed specifically to tackle growing labor shortages in modern factories.
Unlike conventional industrial machines built for rigid, repetitive motions, Honda’s latest robotic system executes delicate assembly work that typically requires human hands. Equipped with tactile sensors to detect object shapes, the four-fingered hand can grasp a tiny 1.6-millimeter screw between its thumb and index finger, rotate it smoothly, and insert it into a screw hole. At the same time, the system features enough strength to lift objects weighing up to 5 kilograms using its fingertips, allowing a single machine to handle diverse manufacturing tasks.
The breakthrough stems from a newly engineered drive system developed for the fingers. Traditional robotic fingers rely on motors and external wires that suffer from long-term durability issues in industrial settings. To overcome this hurdle, Honda created an original mechanism that bends flexibly while delivering mechanical force efficiently. Executives plan to initiate full-scale field testing at a manufacturing plant in Saitama Prefecture, where the robot will sort large volumes of automotive parts supplied by subcontractors.
This commercial pivot follows the conclusion of the company’s famous humanoid robot era. ASIMO debuted in 2000 as a global symbol of advanced walking and interaction capabilities. However, safety concerns regarding unpredictable human environments—such as a child suddenly rushing forward to hug the machine—prevented practical commercial scaling, leading to its retirement. Shifting strategy in 2019, engineers redirected their efforts toward solving practical dexterity problems rather than pursuing social humanoid aesthetics.
Looking ahead, the enterprise aims to commercialize the technology for factory deployment by the early 2030s. Furthermore, the firm established a partnership to accelerate research into Physical AI, aiming to equip robots with the ability to autonomously learn new tasks. As global manufacturing sectors face acute staffing shortages, this dexterous robotic system positions the company to capture strong demand in the next generation of industrial automation.
