Gears

Texas A&M Hosts Inaugural HAND Dexterous Design Challenge

Texas A&M University, a partner of the NSF HAND ERC, recently organized the first HAND Dexterous Design Challenge (DDC) for undergraduate students. The inaugural competition saw 113 participants across 20 teams representing 19 different majors. Eight of these teams qualified for the championship event held during the Multidisciplinary Engineering Technology Program (MXET) in College Station, Texas.

The competition was developed by HAND ERC faculty Mohamed Gharib and HAND Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) students Niamh Cole and Zavier Dollaway. The goal was to increase awareness and technical knowledge of robotic dexterity. To support the participants, the organizers developed unique learning modules and held in-person workshops covering structural components, electronic systems, CAD design, and programming. Training and initial materials were provided to guide students in building their first robotic hands.

Teams were evaluated on design, speed, and accuracy as their robotic hands performed specific tasks, including object pick-and-place, American Sign Language (ASL), and the "Simon Says" game. Texas A&M graduate students served as judges, while local high school students assisted as volunteers, turning the competition into a multi-level educational outreach activity.
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"The goal of the workshops and competition was to equip students with the skills needed to tackle technical challenges in robotic dexterity," said Mohammad Gharib. "Developing problem-solving abilities alongside hands-on skills is central to the HAND vision. We wanted to encourage students to apply creativity, teamwork, and technical expertise to real-world challenges."
HAND Dexterous Design Challenge robot hands.
HAND Dexterous Design Challenge participants.
HAND Dexterous Design Challenge winners.

Several teams were awarded for their achievements.

2026 Engineering Excellence Award:

  • 1st Place: Team Nuts & Bolts (Amy He, Riddhi Iyengar, Riley Schall, Joseph Nguyen, and Tyler Dick)
  • 2nd Place: Team F=mg (Maziel Solis, Melissa Emata, Gabriel Pena, Fernanda Espinoza, George Mireles, and Pedro Reyes)
  • 3rd Place: Team ARC (Arturo Caudillo Jr., Ethan Champion, Jacob Quevedo, Roshan Kosaraju, Lakshmi Donepudi, and Ayomide Alonge)

Design Award: Team On the Other Hand (Lohitha Yedam, Ruba Ani, and Marco Garay)
Presentation Award: Team Cullberts (Collins Culbert, Reyes Pina, George Alvarez, Isaiah Trujillo, Zoe Bednar, and Juan Gaytan)
Judges Award: Shaurya Shukla

"As a former HAND REU participant, I had the opportunity to share my passion for dexterous robotics with my peers," said organizer Niamh Cole. "This project provided invaluable experience in leadership and problem-solving. We thank Dr. Gharib and the HAND leadership for providing the support necessary to make this competition a reality."

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Human AugmentatioN via Dexterity (HAND). Engineering Research Center (ERC) is dedicated to developing dexterous robotic hands to assist humans across various applications. The Dexterous Design Challenge is one of several initiatives offered by the HAND Engineering Workforce Development team, including the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs.

Students testing their developed robotic hands.
Dr. Gharib advising students during the competition.
Student presenting to judges in front of a screen.