Sanctuary AI, a Vancouver-based company on a mission to develop human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots, has achieved a key milestone in robotic dexterity. Leveraging 21 degrees of freedom (DoF) dexterous robotic hands, the company has demonstrated in-hand manipulation capabilities, unlocking new possibilities for fine manipulation tasks in industrial applications.
Hydraulic Actuation for Enhanced Dexterity
Sanctuary AI’s robotic hands utilize miniaturized hydraulic valves, a unique actuation method that provides significantly higher power density compared to cable or electromechanical-based systems. This innovative method offers unparalleled dexterous capabilities, improving speed, strength, controllability, cycle life, impact resistance, and heat management, setting a new benchmark in robotic manipulation.
“Demonstrating in-hand manipulation with a scalable and reliable system is a key milestone towards demonstrating the breadth and viability of capable general purpose robots. Dexterous capability is directly proportional to the size of the addressable market for general-purpose humanoid robots,” says James Wells, interim CEO and Chief Commercial Officer at Sanctuary AI. “Our ambition is to build a reliable system with human-level dexterity. We have also recently achieved a milestone of testing our hydraulic valve actuators over 2 billion cycles without any signs of leakage or degradation.”
While hydraulic systems offer unmatched power density, they traditionally require more maintenance than electric-powered alternatives. Sanctuary AI has addressed these challenges through rigorous testing and design improvements, ensuring system reliability and longevity.
AI Integration and Modular Design
These advancements in Sanctuary AI’s robotic hand dexterity contribute directly to the capabilities of the company’s general-purpose robot, Phoenix, and its AI control system, Carbon. The enriched behavioral data from dexterous manipulation provides deeper insights for Carbon, enhancing its ability to navigate and interact with the real world.
Both the dexterous robotic hands and Carbon are designed in a modular format, allowing seamless integration with both humanoid and non-humanoid robots. This modularity well-positions Sanctuary AI for future partnerships and broader applications.
Funding to Drive Robotics Innovation
In July 2024, Sanctuary AI secured additional funding, bringing its total investment to $140 million. This capital supports the continued development of Phoenix, the world’s first humanoid general-purpose robot powered by Carbon™—a pioneering AI control system designed to give Phoenix human-like intelligence and enable it to perform a wide range of tasks, addressing labor challenges faced by many organizations today.
Manipulation remains a core focus for the Phoenix platform. The company reports that it is also exploring various locomotion solutions, including bipedal or wheeled bases, to adapt the platform to diverse industrial use cases.
About Sanctuary AI
Founded in 2018, Sanctuary AI is a multi-award-winning company dedicated to creating the world’s first human-like intelligence in general purpose robots that will help us work more safely, efficiently, and sustainably, helping to address the labor challenges facing many organizations today. Sanctuary AI’s growing list of customers and investors represents a wide variety of industries across Canada, the US, and other countries around the world.. For more information, please click here
Source/Photo Credit: Sanctuary AI
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