German automation giant Festo is sharpening its push into collaborative robotics, launching the HPPH two-finger pneumatic parallel gripper and detailing fresh progress on its robot-agnostic GripperAI software. Both are slated to feature at Automate 2026 in Chicago.
A gripper that hides its plumbing
Force- and power-limited cobot arms operate under strict payload and mounting constraints, and pneumatic grippers that rely on external valves and wiring add weight and clutter. The HPPH answers that by integrating the pneumatic control valve, position sensors and electrical interface directly into the gripper body. At just 0.68 kg, it preserves payload capacity and simplifies mounting and commissioning, with an IO-Link version available for diagnostics and remote configuration.
Festo developed the HPPH in accordance with ISO/TS 15066 for collaborative safety, and it earns TUV Sud certification with the matching gripper fingers. A force-limited mode caps gripping at 140 newtons, roughly a firm handshake, to reduce injury risk in close-proximity work, while the limit can be disabled for non-collaborative tasks needing up to 180 newtons.
GripperAI grasps the unfamiliar
Alongside the hardware, Festo's GripperAI software lets robots pick previously unseen, chaotically positioned objects without programming or teach-in training. It runs on edge hardware, a low-cost 3D RGB-D camera and a basic CPU suffice for simple tasks, and can automatically trigger a tool change to grab the right end effector. The software is robot-agnostic, working across cobots, classic industrial arms and Cartesian systems, echoing the open, AI-first direction seen in Inbolt's vision-enabled programming.
Proven on a real logistics line
Festo says Wurth Group, which stocks roughly one million parts, has already tested GripperAI in its logistics operations, using the system to empty crates of mixed, randomly oriented items, select the right gripping tool and pack shipping cartons without manual intervention. The HPPH is available through Festo's website and the Universal Robots marketplace, joining more than 30,000 interoperable products in Festo's portfolio. The launch adds to a busy Automate 2026 field that also includes FANUC's rapid-deployment cobot cells and a sector-wide rush toward Physical AI in industrial robots.
Reporting based on coverage from The Robot Report and Festo.