Build it with us

Contribute

Tendra Hand is open to everyone. Print a part, fix a bug, improve the simulation or ask a good question.

The project is early, which makes this a good time to join. Small help counts: a test print, a typo fix or a question that shows where the docs are unclear.

Ways to help#

Hardware

Print and test

Print the parts, build a finger and tell us what broke, what was hard to assemble and which print settings worked for you.

ESP32-S3, C++

Firmware

Help with smooth motion, calibration and the driver for the Feetech SCS0009 smart servos.

Python, MuJoCo

Simulation and AI

Make the simulation more realistic (tendons, friction, contact), or help build teleoperation and learning-based control.

Writing

Docs and guides

Write build guides, explain things in plain words, add photos, or translate.

CAD

Mechanical design

Improve the fingers, the tendon routing and the thumb, which needs a fifth motion to fully match a human thumb.

How to get started#

  1. Look around#

    Read the project page and the roadmap, and skim the build log to see where things stand.

  2. Say hello#

    Open an issue for bugs and concrete ideas, or start a discussion for questions and bigger ideas.

  3. Send a change#

    Fork the repository, make your change and open a pull request. Keep it small and explain what it does and why.

To try the software without any hardware, clone the repository and run the simulation:

Terminal
git clone https://github.com/Danielloka/tendra-hand.git
cd tendra-hand
uv sync
uv run python sim/view.py

Licenses#

By contributing, you agree that your work is shared under the same licenses as the project:

WhatLicense
Code: firmware, Python, simulation, AI code and modelsApache-2.0
Hardware: CAD, print files, electronics, robot modelCERN-OHL-S-2.0
Docs, research and website textCC BY 4.0

In short: anyone may use, build, change and sell Tendra Hand. If you share a changed hardware design, you share its design files under the same license. Please credit the project.

Code of conduct#

Be kind, be patient and assume good intent. Everyone here is learning, including the people who started it.