Engineers at Harvard University have developed an innovative method for designing robotic joints that closely mimic the mechanics of the human knee, opening new possibilities for more efficient and capable robots.
The approach centers on optimized rolling contact joints—pairs of curved surfaces that roll and slide against each other, allowing force and motion to be guided directly by the joint’s shape. By embedding control into the robot’s mechanics, the method reduces dependence on large actuators and complex software.
In testing, knee-like joints corrected misalignment by up to 99%, while robotic grippers demonstrated more than three times the gripping strength of conventional designs.
The technique could advance applications ranging from soft robotic grippers and humanoid robots to assistive devices and exoskeletons.
