Abstract—As the development of light weight, small volume and versatile manipulators has grown in the field of robotics, the need for more efficient and relevant power transmission systems in the manipulators has become increasingly apparent. It is clear that the advent of efficient, low friction and backlash free actuation systems promises to provide significant gains in manipulator performance. Tendon transmission has been widely used to actuate small volume and light weight articulated manipulators such as dexterous mechanical hands, for it permits actuators to be installed remotely from the end effector, thus reducing the bulk and inertia of the manipulator system. Hence a fundamental understanding of tendon transmission is becoming necessary and important in the field of robotics. This study serves as survey and compiles different aspects of tendon driven robotic hand existing in literature.

Index Terms—Tendon driven mechanism, Compliance, Tendon routing, Underactuated mechanisms

Cite: Ehtesham Nazma and Suhaib Mohd, "Tendon Driven Robotic Hands: A Review," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol.1, No.3, pp. 350-357, October 2012.