BrainCo Revo 3-21 V-Touch Robot Hand
In stock
- BRAND:
- BRAINCO
- MODEL:
- REVO 3-21 V-TOUCH
- ORIGIN:
- China
- Warranty:
- 12 MONTHS
- AVAILABILITY:
- SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY
- SKU:
- BrainCo-Revo-3-V-Touch
BrainCo Revo 3-21 V-Touch Robot Hand
Most robot hands are judged by how hard they squeeze. The BrainCo Revo 3-21 V-Touch Robot Hand invites a different test: how well it handles the moment before and after the squeeze. Its joints are direct-driven and backdrivable, and it senses contact across the palm and at the fingertips, so a controller can watch an object settle, slip or yield rather than simply assume it is held.
This hand is available through this page, by quotation.
Background
BrainCo and the Revo line
The Revo 3 biomimetic dexterous hand is designed for industrial automation, scientific research and advanced robotics manipulation. Those three fields share a problem: a manipulator is only as capable as its hand, and the hand is usually the part that limits what a robot can do with its arm.
The Revo name runs through several generations on this network. Earlier hands remain available for reference, among them the BrainCo Revo 1 Intelligent Dexterous Bionic Hand and the Brainco Revo 2 Touch Biomimetic Dexterous Right Hand (XTR). The Revo 3 range comprises four versions: Revo 3 U21, U21F, U21T and U21VT. This page describes the U21VT, sold here as the Revo 3-21 V-Touch.
Positioning and key technology
The V-Touch version sits at the sensing-rich end of the range. Its tactile system has two parts: a piezoresistive array across the palm and a vision-tactile sensor at the fingertips. The palm array has 336 points, and the vision-tactile system tracks 2000 markers. Together they give a control system information about where contact occurs and how it changes, not merely that it has occurred.
The mechanical design follows the same philosophy. The hand has 21 degrees of freedom, all direct-driven and backdrivable. In practice, an external push on a finger can move the joint instead of fighting it, which is useful when a hand works close to people, fragile objects or uncertain fixtures. The hand is supplied with C/C++ and Python SDKs for Linux and Windows.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Revo 3 U21VT |
|---|---|
| Total degrees of freedom | 21 (direct-driven and backdrivable) |
| DoF distribution | Four fingers × 4 DoF, thumb × 5 DoF |
| Hand dimensions | 216 × 108 × 50 mm |
| Supply voltage | 16–85 V |
| Max current | 10 A (24 V) |
| Max active grip force | ≥100 N |
| Max fingertip pinch force | ≥25 N |
| Total hand payload | 20 kg |
| Four-finger payload | 5 kg |
| Repeatability | 0.1° |
| Joint open/close time | 0.33 s |
| Communication interfaces | EtherCAT / CAN FD / RS-485 |
| Communication frequency | 500 Hz |
| Onboard sensors | IMU (mainboard), temperature (mainboard) |
| Tactile type | Palm piezoresistive array + fingertip vision-tactile |
| Tactile array | 336 points (piezoresistive) + 2000 markers (vision-tactile) |
| Tactile force range | 0–20 N |
| Tactile resolution | 0.01 N |
| Durability rating | Over 1,000,000 joint flex cycles |
| Motion ability | Full score on the Kapandji opposition test; 33 grasp types (Feix GRASP taxonomy) |
| Software | Cross-platform C/C++ and Python SDKs, Linux and Windows |
Specifications as published by the manufacturer; confirmed against the datasheet at quotation.
The manufacturer has not published the weight, the IP rating, the operating temperature range, the package contents or the hand-only mass without wrist; they are confirmed at quotation.
What makes the Revo 3-21 V-Touch different from a conventional gripper?
A conventional gripper has one task: to close on an object and hold it. Its sensing, where it has any, usually amounts to a position reading or a current limit. The Revo 3-21 V-Touch is built around a wider set of tasks. With 21 degrees of freedom, four fingers of 4 DoF each and a thumb of 5 DoF, it can shape itself to an object instead of forcing the object into a fixed jaw. It covers 33 grasp types from the Feix GRASP taxonomy and scores fully on the Kapandji opposition test, which concerns how well the thumb meets each fingertip.
The second difference is how the joints behave. Because the drive is direct and backdrivable, the hand can be pushed as well as commanded. That matters when a robot has to make contact with an object whose position is not perfectly known, because the hand can give way rather than transmit the full force back into the arm or the object.
The third difference is information. The palm array and the fingertip vision-tactile sensors both feed the controller, with a tactile range of 0–20 N and a resolution of 0.01 N. A hand that can report contact at that level of detail makes it possible to build behaviours such as re-gripping, gentle release and slip response, instead of depending on a fixed grip command.
How does the V-Touch version relate to the other Revo 3 hands?
The Revo 3 range spans several versions, and the V-Touch is the one whose tactile system combines palm sensing with fingertip vision-based touch. The mechanical figures are laid out across all four versions, so the choice between them is mainly one of sensing. A team that needs the articulated hand without the full tactile package may look at the BrainCo Revo 3-21 Basic Robot Hand or the BrainCo Revo 3-21 Touch Robot Hand. Each of those pages gives that version's own details, and no figure on this page should be read across to them.
Integration is the same kind of consideration. The V-Touch offers EtherCAT, CAN FD and RS-485, with a communication frequency of 500 Hz. A stable 24 V DC supply rated for at least 100 W is recommended to reduce the risk of voltage drop, although the hand accepts a supply voltage of 16–85 V. Those points are worth settling with the arm, the controller and the power architecture before an order is placed.
Who is the Revo 3-21 V-Touch for?
Research laboratories are the clearest audience. A group studying grasping, in-hand manipulation or tactile learning needs a hand that produces rich contact data and exposes it through a standard SDK. Python support and compatibility with both Linux and Windows lower the barrier to connecting it to existing research code.
Developers of humanoid and mobile manipulation platforms will find the hand's dimensions of 216 × 108 × 50 mm and its backdrivable joints relevant, since a humanoid hand has to be both human-scale and safe to be near. Industrial automation engineers, for their part, may value a payload of 20 kg for the whole hand, 5 kg for the four fingers, and a repeatability of 0.1°, in cells where parts vary and a fixed jaw is not enough.
Buyers whose tasks need only the articulated hand, and not the full tactile system, should compare the Basic and Touch versions before deciding. Those who want to see how the line developed may also consult the earlier Revo 1 hand.
What is the Revo 3-21 V-Touch used for?
- Grasp research: studying a wide range of grasp types, with 33 covered from the Feix GRASP taxonomy.
- Tactile learning: collecting palm and fingertip contact data for control and learning experiments.
- Humanoid manipulation: giving a humanoid platform a human-scale hand with backdrivable joints.
- Industrial handling: picking and positioning varied parts where a fixed gripper cannot adapt.
- Delicate contact tasks: adjusting and releasing objects using force feedback with 0.01 N resolution.
- Software development: building and testing manipulation routines with the C/C++ and Python SDKs.
Pricing and Availability
No price is printed on this page. Quotation is the way to buy: send a request, and the offer is prepared for your project. Delivery, customs and support are arranged with the quotation. The BrainCo Revo 3-21 V-Touch Robot Hand is available on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many degrees of freedom does the hand have?
It has 21, all direct-driven and backdrivable. The four fingers have 4 DoF each and the thumb has 5 DoF.
Which communication interfaces does it offer?
The hand offers EtherCAT, CAN FD and RS-485, with a communication frequency of 500 Hz.
What sensing does the V-Touch version include?
It combines a palm piezoresistive array of 336 points with fingertip vision-tactile sensing of 2000 markers. Its tactile range is 0–20 N at 0.01 N resolution. The mainboard also carries an IMU and a temperature sensor.
What power supply should I use?
A stable 24 V DC supply with a rating of at least 100 W is recommended to reduce voltage drop risk. The supply voltage range is 16–85 V and the maximum current is 10 A at 24 V.
Which software and operating systems are supported?
The hand is supported by cross-platform C/C++ and Python SDKs, compatible with Linux and Windows.
What is the IP rating or weight of the hand?
Neither figure is available at present. Both are confirmed at quotation, together with the operating temperature range and the package contents.
Where can I buy the BrainCo Revo 3-21 V-Touch Robot Hand and what does it cost?
It is available through this page by quotation. The cost depends on your requirements and is given in the quotation, not printed here.
Summary
The BrainCo Revo 3-21 V-Touch Robot Hand answers the question of what happens between open and closed. It offers 21 backdrivable degrees of freedom, palm and fingertip tactile sensing, EtherCAT, CAN FD and RS-485 connectivity, and SDKs for Linux and Windows. It suits laboratories, humanoid developers and automation engineers whose work depends on contact, not merely on grip force. For a quotation tailored to your project, this page is the starting point.
