Editor-Curated Robotics Industry Briefing - RobotToday

Chestnut Robotics Unveils Aero Hand and Aero UMI for Enhanced Robotic Control

Chestnut Robotics has introduced the Aero Hand and Aero UMI at IROS 2026, integrating a dexterous robotic hand with a wearable system for remote control and demonstration recording. Co-founder and CEO Evan Tao highlighted the products as a cohesive system where the operator's movements directly influence the robotic hand's actions. This launch positions Chestnut among a growing number of companies focused on developing tools that facilitate robot training alongside the hardware that executes tasks. The Aero Hand features a design that mimics human hand movements, boasting a lifetime of over three million cycles, while Aero UMI employs magnetic encoders to accurately capture motion. Looking ahead, the key focus will be on how effectively demonstrations collected with Aero UMI translate into reliable autonomous actions by the Aero Hand. The performance of this system in real-world applications will be critical in determining its commercial viability and the extent of corrections needed for autonomous operation.