Robotiq 2FC adds tactile sensing and onboard compute

Sensing contact and acting on it

Robotiq has presented the 2FC, an adaptive two-finger gripper that combines tactile sensing with compute built into the gripper. Its product page describes hardware for collecting contact data and running grasp skills locally in real time.

According to Robotiq, it captures pressure, vibration, proprioception, force, speed and position, with signals time-stamped to millisecond-level precision in a shared reference frame. Local skills include a grasp confidence score, incipient slip detection, object pose estimation within the fingers, object centering through closed-loop manipulation, and an advanced grip check to verify the grasp outcome and label episodes.

Shared features and model differences

The 2FC-85 and 2FC-140 share the features listed together in Robotiq's specification table: 28 taxels, 1000 Hz dynamic sensing, a 3-axis fingertip IMU, grip force of 0–235 N and closing speed of 20–150 mm/s. A single Ethernet cable carries power and communication.

In the same model order, payload is 5 kg and 2.5 kg, while stroke is 85 mm and 140 mm. Robotiq rates the gripper for 2 million cycles and describes a patented underactuated mechanism that supports both encompassing and parallel grasps. These are manufacturer specifications.

Upgrading existing hardware

Robotiq says owners of the 2F-85 or 2F-140 can add TSF tactile sensors and the AI Hub in the field while retaining the same Tool Center Point (TCP), allowing existing programs and models to carry over.

The company's Physical AI overview identifies Contact Core as its software layer. The product page directs developers to Robotiq's GitHub organization for simulation assets, drivers, control packages, synchronized interfaces and contact skills. Explore more components in RoboHub's parts directory.