Towards human-like behavior for robots: Recent progress in bionic shoulder joint design technologies
*Correspondence to:
Tianqi Yue, School of Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fully Actuated System Control Theory and Technology, School of Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China; SUSTech Institute for Robotics Research, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China.
E-mail: yuetq@sustech.edu.cn
Smart Mater Devices. 2027;3:202653. 10.70401/smd.2026.0066
Received: August 09, 2026Accepted: November 06, 2026Published: November 09, 2026
This article belongs to the Special lssue Intelligent Soft and Organic Matter: Fundamentals, Electrochemistry, and Sensing
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Abstract
Current humanoid robots face persistent mechanical challenges in combining load-bearing capacity, dexterity, and compliance within compact structures, limiting their ability to perform versatile tasks and interact safely with humans. As the foundation of upper limb movement, the shoulder joint is critical to humanoid robots to perform manipulation, human-robot interaction, and other complex tasks. In this review, we outline the biological principle of human shoulder joints and critically review the research progress of robotic shoulder joints, with particular attention to their flexibility and stability. Based on the system architecture, we propose a clear taxonomy classifying robotic shoulder joints into drive-transmission integrated and drive-transmission separated systems, analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of different architectures. By comparing current robotic shoulder joints against the biological human shoulder joint, we ultimately identify core challenges and potential design trends for next-generation bionic shoulder joints intended for humanoid robots.
Keywords
Robotic shoulder joint, bionic robot, human-robot interaction
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Mo F, Ye G, Gao S, Dong R, You Q, Zhu X, et al. Towards human-like behavior for robots: Recent progress in bionic shoulder joint design technologies. Smart Mater Devices. 2027;3:202653. https://doi.org/10.70401/smd.2026.0066
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Mo F, Ye G, Gao S, Dong R, You Q, Zhu X, et al. Towards human-like behavior for robots: Recent progress in bionic shoulder joint design technologies. Smart Mater Devices. 2027;3:202653. https://doi.org/10.70401/smd.2026.0066
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