[Submitted on 15 Sep 2026]
Title:AthenaZero: A low-inertia, bimanual robot for dynamic manipulation
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Abstract:AthenaZero is a bimanual manipulator designed to minimize inertia without compromising control authority. By utilizing quasi-direct drive actuation and transmission remotization techniques, the system achieves an effective endpoint mass comparable to that of a human---about an order of magnitude less than conventional robot manipulators. This characteristic, combined with its inherent torque transparency, makes AthenaZero exceptionally well-suited for dynamic manipulation. We describe the methodology} that led to this design and demonstrate the robot's capabilities on three baseball-inspired tasks: throwing, catching, and batting, which showcase complex interactions on human-comparable timescales where milliseconds matter. AthenaZero was capable of throwing at speeds in excess of 30 m/s, with catching and batting at speeds in excess of 14 m/s over a short 7.3 m distance. Batting practice and a game of catch were subsequently performed in robot-to-robot and human-to-robot variations, showcasing the efficacy and adaptability of our system in tasks that require high acceleration.
Comments: Videos attached as ancillary. Cover article to September 2026 issue of Science Robotics
Subjects:
Robotics (cs.RO)
Cite as: arXiv:2609.19194 [cs.RO]
(or arXiv:2609.19194v1 [cs.RO] for this version)
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2609.19194
arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite
Submission history
From: Andrew Morgan [view email] [v1] Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:42:28 UTC (104,183 KB)
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