What happened
Robotiq launched the 2FC, an adaptive gripper with tactile sensing, wrist-mounted compute (the AI Hub) and Contact Core software. It captures pressure, force and slip data millisecond-synchronized, runs grasp skills locally, and opens pre-orders today in 85 mm and 140 mm versions, shipping Q1 2027.
Why it matters
The 2FC turns raw touch signals into labeled training data and real-time behavior, addressing the gap where most robots cannot feel what they grasp, according to Robotiq.
What to watch
Robotiq will present the 2FC in a launch webinar on October 28, 2026 at 11 am ET.
WHO IT HITSRobot integrators and manufacturing engineers working with robotic manipulation may find the 2FC lowers the barrier to adding touch-based skills, while existing Robotiq 2F users can upgrade their current grippers rather than buy new ones.
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Robotiq's launch of the 2FC builds on its 2F adaptive gripper, which the company says has more than 30,000 units deployed worldwide. The new model adds tactile sensing, compute at the wrist (the AI Hub) and Contact Core software, aiming to turn raw contact data into useful training data and real-time behavior.
The company argues that while the industry invests heavily in vision, demonstrations, simulation and data, manipulation ultimately depends on touch, and most robots cannot feel what they grasp. The 2FC addresses this by capturing pressure, vibration, proprioception, force, position and current synchronized at millisecond level through a unified API, and by running grasp skills locally. CEO Samuel Bouchard notes that when Robotiq built its first tactile sensors 12 years ago, the problem was what to do with the information; now, he says, the intelligence needed to make use of touch data is catching up.
The 2FC is rated for 2 million cycles and is underactuated for both parallel and encompassing grasps. Existing 2F owners can upgrade with TSF tactile sensors and the AI Hub rather than replacing their gripper. Robotiq will present the 2FC in a launch webinar on October 28, 2026.
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