Toward human-compatible compliant manipulation with an anthropomorphic dexterous hand

Achieving human-like compliant manipulation remains a fundamental challenge in robot hands due to the difficulty of realizing biomechanical compatibility, compliant interaction, and dexterous operation. To address this, we propose a human-compatible anthropomorphic dexterous hand inspired by the anatomical structure and coordinated motion of the human hand. The design integrates anatomical morphology, joint coordination, and compliant manipulation through a rigid-soft synergistic architecture with a tendon-driven mechanism. Flexible thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers and cables emulate human ligaments and tendons, while rigid linkage mechanisms reproduce the skeletal support and motion transmission functions of the phalanges. A hierarchical modular architecture with separated and nested skeleton-shell structures enables compact integration of the palm and fingers. The proposed hand possesses 16 degrees of freedom (DOFs), including a biomimetic 4-DOF thumb that reproduces thumb opposition and coordinated manipulation. Synchronous coupled control of the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints enables independent control of 7 DOFs. Kinematic simulations and finite element analysis verify the motion feasibility and structural reliability of the design. Furthermore, a human-inspired neural control strategy is introduced to achieve compliant motion control and adaptive regulation, enhancing compliant interaction and human-machine compatibility. Prototype experiments demonstrate stable grasping performance, compliant interaction, and effective manipulation across tasks of varying complexity and precision. This work establishes an integrated biomechanical and neural-inspired design framework for anthropomorphic dexterous hands, providing a promising approach for human-compatible compliant manipulation and next-generation robotic hands.