HAND ERC

The Wall Street Journal's article, “The ‘Hands’ Problem Holding Back the Humanoid Revolution”, on October 25th provided insight from Ed Colgate, HAND's Director, and Kevin Lynch, HAND's Research Director, about the complexity of this issue and how HAND ERC's work to develop true dexterity could unlock a new era in human-robot collaboration. Humanoid robots are learning to walk, balance, and carry heavy loads—but giving them human-like hands remains one of robotics’ hardest unsolved problems. At HAND ERC, this is our focus: designing the next generation of dexterous systems that merge sensing, control, and human-centered design to extend human capability, not replace it. #Robotics #Dexterity #HumanCenteredDesign #NSFERC #HumanoidRobots #Innovation https://lnkd.in/gprR8bNS

The US National Science Foundation HAND Engineering Research Center https://hand-erc.org/ is searching for a mechanical design engineer to play a critical role in the Center's mission to revolutionize robot dexterity. The successful candidate will collaborate with outstanding students, staff, and faculty at ERC core partners Northwestern, Texas A&M, Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and Florida A&M University, and interact with our ecosystem of industry and non-profit partners, on the design of dexterous robots. This position will be at the Northwestern University Center for Robotics and Biosystems https://lnkd.in/gcju428j in Evanston, Illinois. Candidates should have significant experience in mechanical design and practical system deployment, including expertise in CAD, selection of mechanical components and materials, machining and prototyping, manufacturing processes, and electromechanical design, including actuator, transmission, and sensor selection. To apply, please search for Northwestern University job posting 52622 at https://lnkd.in/g_tJw27W Please note that this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship (e.g., H-1B visa status).

The US National Science Foundation HAND ERC is looking for an outstanding mechanical design engineer to join us in our mission to revolutionize dexterity!

The US National Science Foundation HAND Engineering Research Center https://hand-erc.org/ is searching for a mechanical design engineer to play a critical role in the Center's mission to revolutionize robot dexterity. The successful candidate will collaborate with outstanding students, staff, and faculty at ERC core partners Northwestern, Texas A&M, Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and Florida A&M University, and interact with our ecosystem of industry and non-profit partners, on the design of dexterous robots. This position will be at the Northwestern University Center for Robotics and Biosystems https://lnkd.in/gcju428j in Evanston, Illinois. Candidates should have significant experience in mechanical design and practical system deployment, including expertise in CAD, selection of mechanical components and materials, machining and prototyping, manufacturing processes, and electromechanical design, including actuator, transmission, and sensor selection. To apply, please search for Northwestern University job posting 52622 at https://lnkd.in/g_tJw27W Please note that this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship (e.g., H-1B visa status).

HAND faculty member Nancy Pollard and HAND students Jonathan King and Ethan Zuo, were recently invited to demo the DexKit Soft Travel Hand at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Demonstrations were on full display for more than 60 congressional staffers, NIH officials and leaders representing more than 30 U.S. states and territories. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g2ur2vgT #CarnegieMellon #CMU #DexKit #NSF #RobotDexterity #RobotHands #TactileSensing #DexterousRobotics

Schmidt Science Fellows honored senior fellow and HAND faculty member Prof. Ryan Truby. Truby helped shape the community’s foundations, from his early work with the Program Team to the design and launch of the very first Senior Fellows convening, which has evolved into the organization's Summit. Congratulations, Ryan! https://lnkd.in/ept9CyAU

Big news from the HAND Engineering Research Center: In just a few months, HAND has grown the Innovation Ecosystem to nearly 40 organizations, including 21 industry members and 18 other center partners! These members and partners are helping support the NSF mission to develop next-generation dexterity and forging new collaborations with industry / academic partnerships. HAND members and partners are benefiting from access to world-renowned expertise in the robotics and dexterity space as well as connecting to top student talent, while providing critical feedback and insights into how HAND can drive beneficial societal impact by democratizing robotic dexterity. HAND is shaping the future of robotic engineering through bold partnerships. Learn more at Innovation Ecosystem | HAND ERC, https://lnkd.in/g9f_Nazy

Congratulations to Craig Shultz with Fluid Reality, a HAND ecosystem partner recently recognized at the World Haptics Conference in the Republic of Korea.

This is good reading.

An exciting Summer at Northwestern University with HAND ERC! We’re thrilled to kick off the REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) and RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) programs with 7 talented undergraduate students and 3 dedicated teachers! Led by Dr. Mohamed Gharib and Dr. Ed Colgate the program started strong with hands-on workshops, collaborative project planning, and inspiring presentations. Participants will be working on cutting-edge projects in Human Augmentation via Dexterity throughout the summer. Stay tuned for updates as they innovate, explore, and contribute to the future of #robotics!   #HANDERC #REU2025 #RET2025 #STEMeducation #RoboticsResearch #HandsOnLearning #FutureEngineers