AthenaZero: A low-inertia, bimanual robot for dynamic manipulation

arXiv:2609.19194 · cs.RO · Submitted 2026-09-15 · Read on arXiv

cs.RO

Submitted: 2026-09-15

Updated: 2026-09-15

Comments: Videos attached as ancillary. Cover article to September 2026 issue of Science Robotics

Journal ref: Science Robotics Vol. 11, No. 18 2026

DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.aee1868

Code: https://github.com/oogle-deepmind/mujoco_

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The gist: AthenaZero is a bimanual manipulator designed to minimize inertia without compromising control authority.

Terminology

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.

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