Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL)

A human hand has more than two dozen joints, and most robot grippers give up almost all of them. The Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL) takes a middle road: a four-fingered humanoid hand that keeps the movements that matter for dexterous work while trimming the weight, the actuator count and the power draw of the full hand.

The Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL) is available through this page, by quotation.

Background

The company and its lineage

The Lite belongs to the Shadow Dexterous Hand family, which the manufacturer offers in four named versions: the Shadow Dexterous Hand, the Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite, the Shadow Dexterous Hand Extra Lite and the Shadow Dexterous Hand Super Lite. Each step down the range removes joints, actuators and sensors, and the Lite sits just below the full hand. All of them aim at one goal, which is to reproduce the kinematics and dexterity of the human hand as closely as possible.

Hands of this kind are mostly found in university laboratories, industrial research groups and integrators building manipulation systems. You can browse related equipment in our Robot Hands category, or see more of the manufacturer's range under Shadow Robot.

Positioning and key technology

The Lite is described as a light, advanced humanoid robot hand system that provides 16 movements. It has 13 degrees of freedom across 16 joints. The thumb has 4 degrees of freedom and 4 joints, and each finger has 3 degrees of freedom and 4 joints.

Thirteen Smart Motor nodes drive the hand, and each node drives a Maxon motor using PWM. The nodes communicate over EtherCAT, a 100Mbps ethernet-based fieldbus. Tendon load sensors report back on the hand's condition: the Lite carries 26 of them, with a force resolution of about 30mN. The body is built from a combination of metals and plastics, including aluminium, brass, acetyl, polycarbonate and polyurethane flesh.

Technical Specifications

Specifications as published by the manufacturer; confirmed against the datasheet at quotation.

The manufacturer has not published the dimensions, the IP rating, the operating temperature range, the power consumption or the fingertip force; they are confirmed at quotation.

What makes the Lite different from the full Shadow Dexterous Hand?

The difference is in the count. The full hand has 20 actuated degrees of freedom plus 4 under-actuated movements, 24 joints in all, and 40 tendon load sensors. The Lite has 13 degrees of freedom across 16 joints and 26 tendon load sensors. You give up some finger articulation and some sensing, and in return you get a simpler and lighter system.

Power is part of that trade. According to the manufacturer, dropping from the five-fingered hand to the four-fingered Lite delivers a 35% power saving, which helps battery-powered systems. For a mobile platform or a research cart that matters a great deal, because every saving in the hand leaves more for everything else on board.

The Lite is not a stripped-down toy, though. All joints except the finger distal joints are controllable to +/- 1° across the full range of movement, and the hand in a power grasp can hold up to 4 Kg. The whole hand and forearm weigh 2.4 kg.

What does the Lite share with the smaller versions?

The Extra Lite offers 10 DOF across 12 joints and 20 tendon load sensors. The Super Lite offers 7 DOF across 8 joints and 14 tendon load sensors. The Lite sits between the full hand and these two, with 13 DOF across 16 joints and 26 sensors. All versions are built on the same ideas: Smart Motor nodes, EtherCAT communication and tendon-based sensing.

The Lite also comes with the same ROS compatibility as the rest of the family. Shadow states that the hand is fully compatible with ROS, with a Gazebo simulated model, so a team can build and test control code in simulation before it ever touches the physical hand.

Who is the Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL) for?

University and corporate research labs are the natural buyers, especially teams working on grasping, in-hand manipulation and learning-based control who want a humanoid hand without the full cost in complexity of the five-fingered version. ROS compatibility and a simulated model make onboarding faster for students and engineers.

System integrators and teams building battery-powered or mobile manipulators will value the 35% power saving over the five-fingered hand. Groups working on two-handed tasks can ask about the Left Hand option, which is functionally identical to the standard Hand but mirrored for use in a bi-manual system.

If your work demands the full set of finger movements and the highest sensor count, the full Shadow Dexterous Hand is the better fit. If your tasks need fewer joints and a lighter system, the Extra Lite or Super Lite may suit you better. Ask us when you request a quotation, and browse the Shadow Robot range for the rest of the family.

What is the Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL) used for?

1. Grasping research. Study power grasps and other hand postures on a hand that holds up to 4 Kg in a power grasp.
2. In-hand manipulation. Develop finger-level control using 16 joints with +/- 1° control on all but the distal joints.
3. Tactile and force studies. Use the 26 tendon load sensors, with a resolution of about 30mN, to study how the hand interacts with objects.
4. ROS-based development. Build and test software with the ROS compatibility and the Gazebo simulated model.
5. Arm-mounted manipulation. Pair the hand with a 6 DOF industrial robotic arm from Universal Robots, which Shadow can provide with each Hand.
6. Bi-manual experiments. Combine the standard Hand with the mirrored Left Hand option for two-handed tasks.

Pricing and Availability

We do not publish prices for this hand. Please request a quotation and tell us your application, your arm or platform, and whether you need the Left Hand option. Delivery, customs and support are arranged with the quotation. The Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL) is available on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many joints does the Lite have?

It has 13 degrees of freedom across 16 joints. The thumb has 4 degrees of freedom and 4 joints, and each finger has 3 degrees of freedom and 4 joints.

How much does the hand weigh and what can it hold?

The hand and forearm have a total weight of 2.4 kg. In a power grasp the hand can hold up to 4 Kg.

What is included in the development kit?

The kit includes control systems, software that is ROS compliant, a PC, power supplies, tactile sensing, auxiliary equipment if required, documentation and training. The PC is a standard multi-core laptop running Ubuntu with EtherCAT-compatible network ports; more ports are optional.

Does it work with ROS?

Yes. The hand is fully compatible with ROS, and a Gazebo simulated model is available for testing code before you use the physical hand.

Can it be mounted on a robot arm?

Shadow can provide each Hand with a 6 DOF industrial robotic arm from Universal Robots. Please state this in your quotation request.

Is a left-handed version available?

Yes. The Left Hand option is functionally identical to the standard Hand, but mirrored for use in a bi-manual system.

Where can I buy the Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL) and what does it cost?

You can buy it through this page, by quotation. We do not list a price here; send us your requirements and we will prepare the quotation.

Summary

The Shadow Dexterous Hand Lite (DHL) answers a simple question: how much of the human hand do you really need? With 13 DOF across 16 joints, 26 tendon load sensors, EtherCAT communication, ROS compatibility and a 35% power saving over the five-fingered hand, it keeps the essentials of dexterity in a lighter package. For a quotation on the Lite, the Left Hand option or an arm-mounted system, this page is the starting point.