Inspire Dexterous Left Hand With Tactile Sensors (RH56F1-E2L-T1)

Most robotic hands have to manage two conflicting demands. They must be robust enough to survive months of experiments that occasionally go wrong, yet sensitive enough to register the moment an object begins to slip. The Inspire Dexterous Left Hand With Tactile Sensors (RH56F1-E2L-T1) meets the first demand with an all-metal body rated for a 30 kg static passive load. It meets the second with tactile sensing in the palm and a force resolution of 0.1N. Between the two sits a 1 kHz EtherCAT link, which keeps the controller's picture of contact current enough to adjust a grasp while it is happening. Repeatable manipulation research depends on that combination of strength, sensitivity and timing.

Robots Europa, based in Dublin, supplies the RH56F1-E2L-T1 to universities, research institutes and industrial laboratories across the European Union and the DACH region. Robots Europa prepares each quotation for the configuration you specify and coordinates delivery to your site. Once the hand is in service, Robots Europa remains your point of contact for technical questions.

Background

Inspire Robots and the RH56 lineage

INSPIRE ROBOTS is a Beijing-based manufacturer whose work centres on compact actuation and dexterous end-effectors for humanoid and research robots. The RH56 designation covers the company's family of anthropomorphic hands. The RH56F1 generation within it is built around an all-metal construction and real-time fieldbus control. Within that generation, the suffix of each model code identifies the side of the hand and its sensing package. E2L marks this unit as a left hand, and T1 marks the variant fitted with tactile sensors. The wider range is available under Inspire Robots, and alternative designs from other makers can be compared in our Robot Hands category.

Tactile sensing in an all-metal hand

Tactile hands have often been delicate laboratory instruments, and metal-bodied hands have often been blind to contact. The RH56F1-E2L-T1 is positioned between the two. The manufacturer describes it as an all-metal tactile robotic hand for real-time EtherCAT control and repeatable manipulation research. The tactile layer consists of eight sensors in the palm, each with a 30N range and an accuracy of 5% FS. The mechanical side has been verified through 20 standardised durability tests. As a result, the hand is intended for long experimental campaigns rather than occasional demonstrations, and the data it returns should stay comparable from one session to the next.

Technical Specifications

Specifications are as published by the manufacturer and are confirmed against the datasheet at quotation. The manufacturer has not published the IP rating, the operating temperature range, the payload when mounted on an arm, the service life or the output torque; these are confirmed at quotation.

What makes the tactile RH56F1-E2L-T1 different from a hand without touch sensing?

A hand without dedicated touch sensors has to infer contact indirectly. It typically reads joint positions or actuator effort and estimates what happened at the surface of the object. That works for rigid, predictable items, but it leaves gaps. Light contact, soft materials and the early stages of slip are all difficult to detect this way. The RH56F1-E2L-T1 adds a direct measurement. Its eight palm sensors report contact force over a 30N range, the hand resolves force to 0.1N, and the tactile readings carry an accuracy of 5% FS.

For a researcher, this changes the kind of experiment that is possible. Grasp stability can be studied with measured contact data rather than estimates. Force-limited handling can be tuned against real readings, and learning algorithms can be trained on a richer signal. Because the readings arrive over 1 kHz EtherCAT, a controller can act on them quickly. The all-metal body and the 30 kg static passive load also mean that the sensing does not come at the expense of robustness. The hand can bear substantial loads passively while still reporting what the palm is touching.

Which interface version should I choose: EtherCAT + RS485 or EtherCAT + CAN FD?

The left-hand RH56F1 is offered in two interface versions: EtherCAT + RS485 and EtherCAT + CAN FD. Both provide EtherCAT for real-time control. The choice therefore usually depends on the secondary bus your existing platform already uses. Laboratories with serial tooling for configuration and diagnostics often favour RS485. Teams whose humanoid or mobile base already runs a CAN FD network may prefer to keep a single bus standard across the robot.

The product type, the degrees of freedom, the weight and the communication frequency in the table are stated by the manufacturer for the EtherCAT + RS485 left-hand version. When you request the CAN FD version, Robots Europa confirms the corresponding figures for that configuration in the quotation.

Who is the RH56F1-E2L-T1 for?

The primary audience is research groups working on dexterous manipulation, grasp planning and tactile perception. These groups need a hand whose behaviour repeats from one trial to the next, and a repeatability of ±0.2mm together with the durability qualification addresses that need. Humanoid developers form a second group. For them, a left hand with an all-metal body and a 24V–48V supply range can fit into an existing power architecture. Teams that collect demonstration data for robot learning will value the combination of tactile readings and a real-time link. Industrial R&D departments evaluating dexterous handling for assembly or inspection form a fourth audience.

The left hand is the right choice where the arm or humanoid side requires it, or as one half of a bimanual set-up. Projects that need the mirrored side should look at the Inspire Dexterous Right Hand With Tactile Sensors (RH56F1-E2R-T1), which is the tactile right-hand counterpart in the same series. Ordering both together is the natural route for two-handed research platforms.

What is the RH56F1-E2L-T1 used for?

1. Dexterous manipulation research: studying grasp types, finger coordination and in-hand repositioning with repeatable hardware.
2. Tactile perception studies: using palm contact data to classify objects, detect slip and estimate grasp quality.
3. Humanoid robot development: serving as the left end-effector on full-body humanoid platforms.
4. Robot learning and data collection: recording synchronised motion and contact data for imitation and reinforcement learning.
5. Bimanual systems: pairing with the right-hand tactile version for two-handed manipulation and handover tasks.
6. Force-limited handling trials: evaluating gentle grasping of fragile or deformable parts before industrial deployment.

Pricing and Availability

Robots Europa prices the RH56F1-E2L-T1 by quotation. The quotation reflects the interface version you choose and any accessories you specify. Please note that the delivery comprises one RH56F1 hand in the ordered configuration. Mounting adapters, a controller, a power supply and cables are included only where they are itemised in the order. Delivery, customs and support are arranged with the quotation, so your project receives a single, complete offer. To begin, please send us your intended application, the interface version and your delivery country using the quotation request available on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a left or a right hand?

The RH56F1-E2L-T1 is a left hand; the E2L code indicates the left side. The tactile right-hand counterpart is the RH56F1-E2R-T1.

How many degrees of freedom does the hand have?

The EtherCAT + RS485 left-hand version has 6 DOF and 12 joints.

What tactile sensing is fitted?

The hand carries eight palm tactile sensors, each with a 30N range and an accuracy of 5% FS, and it resolves force to 0.1N.

Which communication interfaces are available?

The hand is offered as EtherCAT + RS485 or as EtherCAT + CAN FD. Real-time communication runs over EtherCAT at 1 kHz.

What power supply does the hand require?

The operating voltage is 24V–48V. A power supply is included only where it is itemised in your order.

What is included in the delivery?

The delivery comprises one RH56F1 hand in the ordered configuration. Mounting adapters, a controller, a power supply and cables are supplied only where they are itemised in the order.

Where can I buy the RH56F1-E2L-T1 and what does it cost?

You can buy it from Robots Europa, which supplies customers across the EU and the DACH region from Dublin. The cost is set out in a personal quotation based on your configuration, and you can request one from this page.

Summary

The RH56F1-E2L-T1 is built to be strong and sensitive at the same time. Its all-metal body is rated for a 30 kg static passive load and has been verified through 20 standardised durability tests. Its palm sensors resolve contact to 0.1N, and a 1 kHz EtherCAT link carries those readings to the controller without delay. Together with a repeatability of ±0.2mm, this makes the hand a dependable instrument for research groups, humanoid developers and industrial laboratories that need to measure contact rather than estimate it. Whether you need a single left hand or a bimanual pair with its right-hand counterpart, Robots Europa will prepare the configuration, delivery and support for you, and this page is the starting point.