Object details
| Designer / Studio | Yuxuan Xia, Zhen Zhang, Yanfei Cao, Yun Zhang, Guanlong Su, Fanyuan Yang, Robin Zwama, Barry Magnier |
| Brand | Hangzhou Xynova Technology Co., Ltd., China |
| Key figures | 23 degrees of freedom; 20 kg peak load; 400 g palm; 0.05 N force control accuracy |
| Award | EPDA 2026 Top Design, Industrial / Healthcare: Robotics Designs |
| Explore the design | xynova.com.cn |
As robots move closer to people, their hands become the most sensitive part of the design. A hand must be strong and precise, but also safe to work alongside.
Xynova Flex 2, developed by an international team at Hangzhou Xynova Technology, is a universal dexterous hand for different robot bodies and operating systems. It received a Top Design distinction for robotics at the 2026 European Product Design Award.
Its actuation combines tendon-driven and direct-drive systems. That hybrid delivers 23 degrees of freedom and a peak load of 20 kg, from a palm weighing just 400 g.
Perception is layered too. The hand integrates vision, touch, proximity and force sensing, with force control accurate to 0.05 N.
The design detail that stands out is the surface. A soft, replaceable fabric skin covers a metal back inspired by bone, so the hand looks and feels less like a tool and is safer in contact with people.
Flex 2 is aimed at assembly, service, teleoperation and AI data collection. Its quieter achievement is making a highly technical object feel approachable.
View Xynova Dexterous Hand — Flex 2 on the European Product Design Award winner’s page →
Image: Hangzhou Xynova Technology Co.,Ltd.
