As core components of robotic motion, robot joints directly impact flexibility, precision, and load capacity. To that end Qingdao OAKE Intelligent Systems recently announced its successful development of a spherical joint intelligent robot modeled after human skeletal joints after five years of research. Each joint enables two degrees of freedom with full 360-degree rotation and a repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.01 millimeters, achieving globally leading performance metrics.
As one of Shandong's key R&D initiatives for 2017 aimed towards the development of a seven-degree-of-freedom, dual-arm, human-robot collaborative robot for assembly operations, this project passed expert evaluation organized by the Shandong Provincial Department of Science and Technology in 2023. It is currently undergoing original function validation at a commercial vehicle manufacturing company in Qingdao, with commercial deployment expected as early as 2026.
Reporters were presented with a prototype of the spherical joint intelligent robot at the OAKE Intelligent's facility in the core area of the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA). Unlike other industrial robots in the factory, its most distinctive feature is its spherical joints connecting the robotic arms. According to Chairman of OAKE Intelligent Zhang Xiaolan, most robots on the market use right-angle joints, which limit single-joint movement to a maximum of 320 degrees. "This is why robots still lag behind humans in movement capabilities and why humanoid robots often appear awkward when walking," she explained. By replacing right-angle joints with spherical ones modeled after human anatomy, OAKE's spherical joint robot achieves two degrees of freedom per joint, allowing for a full 360-degree range of motion without blind spots.
The degrees of freedom of a joint refer to the number of independent directions in which it can move. A joint with two degrees of freedom means it can move independently in two different directions. For example, the human wrist has two degrees of freedom, allowing it to perform various flexible hand movements such as grasping, rotating, and tilting.
To support this major structural innovation, OAKE Intelligent's heavy investments in the R&D of this project includes partnering with leading manufacturers such as Nabtesco to enhance key components such as micro motors, sensors, and reducers. The spherical joint intelligent robot developed by OAKE Intelligent features a payload capacity of 5 kilograms, an arm reach of 950 millimeters, and a repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.01 millimeters. Each joint enables two degrees of freedom with full 360-degree rotation. Its precision, responsiveness, and operational range rank among the best in the world. The complex motion typically requiring six or seven right-angle joints in conventional robots is now accomplished with just three spherical joints in OAKE's design.
"The spherical joint robot differs significantly from conventional industrial robots in terms of working principles and structural design, which is why the originality validation process takes longer," said Zhang Xiaolan. The entire verification cycle is expected to take 2 to 3 years, with commercial deployment anticipated as early as 2026. The technology is expected to be initially applied in OAKE Intelligent's own industrial robotics sector, with future plans to explore partnerships in the humanoid robotics field.
编辑：曹晓旭
