Boston Dynamics unveils Atlas hand with 13 degrees of freedom for mass production
Boston Dynamics announced a redesigned hand for its Atlas robot on October 1, prioritizing scalability over human-like appearance. The new hand features 13 degrees of freedom—double the previous version’s 7—and includes a splayed finger design for tool use, such as drills or welding torches. It replaces delicate tendons with embedded, replaceable actuators for reliability and manufacturability,…
Key points
- Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas hand has 13 degrees of freedom, up from 7, enabling tool use like drills and welding torches
- Design omits pinky finger and replaces tendons with embedded actuators for reliability and mass production
- Company targets 100,000 units yearly, prioritizing manufacturability over human-like appearance
Alberto Rodriguez, Director of Robot Behavior at Boston Dynamics, emphasized trade-offs in robotic hand design. The new hand omits a pinky finger and avoids human-like aesthetics to improve durability and cost efficiency. While other humanoid robots focus on dexterity and appearance, Boston Dynamics aims for practicality, claiming the hand can perform tasks humans can’t. Reinforcement learning may further unlock its capabilities, but the design remains distinct from anthropomorphic alternatives.
Atlas Robot’s New Hand May Outperform Human-Like Designs
IEEE Spectrum Robotics · 1 October 2026
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