Design an anthropomorphic dexterous hand for expressive piano performance

Background: Expressive piano performance poses extreme challenges for robotic manipulation, necessitating high-speed repetitive impacts, substantial force output, and coordinated multi-joint control under stringent dynamic constraints. However, existing robotic systems exhibit significant limitations in replicating human-level dexterity, as well as achievable motion speed and force output. This work presents a data-driven, bio-inspired dexterous robotic hand designed specifically for high-fidelity piano performance. Methods: We first extract kinematic primitives and stable inter-joint coupling patterns from large-scale motion capture data of professional pianists. These human motion priors are directly embedded into the mechanical architecture through morphological coupling and actuator allocation. Actuator selection is further guided by empirically measured human peak velocities and force profiles from biomechanics literature, ensuring sufficient bandwidth for high-speed repetitive motion and adequate force transmission. Results: Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed hand replicates human-like joint coordination, achieves peak joint velocities of 53.88 rad/s, and provides sufficient fingertip force for authentic piano interaction. As a demonstration of its capabilities, the hand successfully performs a Grade 7 piano piece, Croatian Rhapsody, illustrating its potential for expressive musical performance. Conclusion: This research establishes a principled pathway from human motion statistics to embodied robotic intelligence, providing a high-performance hardware foundation for autonomous musical performance.