LinkerBot Advances Humanoid Robotics with Dexterous Hand Technology
- tech360.tv
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
LinkerBot is revolutionising humanoid robotics with ultra-dexterous hands, ushering in a new era of humanlike robotic capability. The Beijing-based start-up specialises in creating these hands for humanoids.
Beijing hosted the world's first robotics competition, described as the Olympics for robotics, where human-shaped biped robots competed in sports events. A piano piece performed by a human pianist and a humanoid robot developed by LinkerBot opened the grand show.
The LinkerBot robot pianist was equipped with the company's L6 mode of dexterous hands. These hands are designed for refined, delicate operations, enabling precise keystrokes comparable to those of a top human pianist.
LinkerBot has experienced rapid growth within China's humanoid sector in recent years. The global humanoid market reached 17 billion yuan (USD 2.5 billion) in 2025, with China accounting for half of this market.
A total of 12,000 humanoids were produced in China, marking a 420% jump from the previous year. This information comes from a study by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, a research facility under the industry ministry.
CEO Alex Zhou Yong founded LinkerBot in 2023. Zhou's passion for robotics stemmed from his childhood fascination with Doraemon, a robotic cat from the Japanese cartoon series.
Zhou stated that humans use various tools to create, a quality that sets them apart from animals. He added that the company was teaching robotic hands more human skills.
LinkerBot develops a broad range of dexterous hands with varying degrees of freedom. These hands span three mainstream architectures: direct-drive, linkage, and tendon-driven.
The company serves a wide range of clients, including South Korean giant Samsung Electronics, the University of Hong Kong, and Stanford University. Its entry-level O6 robotic hand features 11 degrees of freedom.
Higher-end models offer flexibility comparable to human hands and come with around 20 degrees of freedom. This allows them to perform thousands of basic movement combinations.
The O6 model uses enhanced lightweight polymer and self-developed micro-reducers to minimise weight while maintaining performance. These ultra-compact components are designed to reduce pressure.
The O6 delivers a 50 kg grip payload with a weight of only 370 grams.
The company recently raised nearly 1.5 billion yuan from its Series B financing round. Domestic funds Daode Investment and Prosperity Investment, as well as Singapore's Eastern Epic Capitals, participated in this round.
LinkerBot plans to deploy these funds to double its research team to around 600 by the end of 2026. Many new hires will focus on adding more skills to the robotic hands, according to Zhou.
Zhou stated the firm aims to "build 1 million hands to master 1 million skills," spanning household to business uses. The goal is to replicate human hands' skills.
To achieve this, the company launched LinkerSkillNet, a library designed to convert human skills into standardised, reusable skills. These include precision industrial operations and medical assistance procedures, which can then be transferred to robotic hands.
LinkerSkillNet currently boasts around 500 skills. Zhou expects this robotic hand skills library to double every six months.
He envisions that robotic hands will be able to cook, massage, or do make-up. Zhou concluded, "Essentially, you don't just buy a pair of hands, you buy the skills they would gain over time."
LinkerBot develops ultra-dexterous robotic hands, revolutionising humanoid capabilities.
The company's L6 hands enabled a robot pianist to perform with precision comparable to humans.
LinkerBot secured nearly 1.5 billion yuan in Series B financing, planning to expand its research team to 600 by late 2026.
Source: SCMP
