Hand record · China (Beijing)
Inspire RH56DFX
The volume leader among Chinese five-finger hands: 540 g, six powered degrees of freedom over 12 joints, and a US price that varies by nearly four times between channels.
- Actuated DOF
- 6over 12 joints
- Mass
- 540 g
- Price observed
- $5,600 – $20,599
- Evidence tier
- B
The RH56 line is the hand most often quoted when a Chinese integrator needs a five-finger end effector that is not a research project. It is small, light and inexpensive next to the research platforms in this index, and it has shipped in numbers large enough that spare parts exist. Inspire says it delivered more than 10,000 hands in 2025; a Chinese research summary puts the figure at 12,000. Both numbers are published here rather than averaged.
The hardware has been stable for years. The vendor's selection guide lists six actively controlled degrees of freedom across 12 joints, 540 g, RS-485, 24 V DC and ±0.20 mm repeatability. What changed is the price, and what changed unevenly is the price outside China.
One model, four prices
In 2026 the same RH56DFX family was listed at $5,600 in a US storefront snapshot, about $8,000 in an academic characterization paper, $10,500 on one US dealer page and $20,599 on another. That is a 3.7× spread on one model name, before configuration differences. The domestic price in the same period was about 20,000 RMB.
The spread is the record. It is not a currency effect and it is not a discount: the higher listings bundle a wrist adapter, cables, warranty handling and import costs, and at least one appears to price a configured system rather than a bare hand. The full timeline sits in the RH56 price record.
Six degrees of freedom, twelve joints
The gap matters for anyone comparing this hand to a 16-DOF platform. Six motors drive 12 joints through coupled linkages, so the fingers curl in coordinated patterns rather than moving independently. That is enough for power grasps, pinch grips and most pick-and-place work. It is not enough for in-hand reorientation, and it is not what a reinforcement-learning paper means by 16 DOF. The counting guide covers the difference in detail.
Who should not buy it
Do not buy it for dexterous manipulation research that needs independent finger control or fingertip sensing: this model has no tactile array, and the six-motor architecture cannot be programmed around. Do not buy it from the first listing you find either. At a 3.7× spread, the difference between the cheapest and most expensive channel is larger than the price of a LEAP Hand.
Specification
The right-hand column records where each field comes from: vendor documentation, a dealer page, or a conflict between sources. Fields marked unverified have no attributable public value.
Price observations
| Item | Channel | Price | Date | Includes | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH56DFX | US storefront snapshot | $5,600 | 2026-08-11 | Hand; configuration not stated | C |
| RH56DFX | Academic paper | ~$8,000 | 2026 | Lab purchase, configuration not stated | C |
| RH56DFX | US dealer | $10,500 | 2026 | Dealer playbook price | A |
| RH56DFX | US dealer | $20,599 | 2026 | Dealer comparison page; configuration not stated | A |
| RH56 mainstream model | China domestic | 20,000 RMB | 2026 | Domestic list, ex-works | C |
Tier A: documented list price. B: sources disagree by more than 15%. C: estimate or press figure. D: quote only. See methodology.
What is not verified
- Inspire has not published an export price list. Every USD figure comes from a channel.
- The 2025 delivery count is 10,000 in the vendor's own statement and 12,000 in a research summary.
- Repeatability is vendor-stated with no published test method.
Questions buyers ask
How many degrees of freedom does the RH56DFX have?
Six actuated degrees of freedom driving 12 joints. Inspire does not describe it as a 12-DOF hand, and it should not be compared with a 12-motor platform.
Why is the same hand listed at $5,600 and $20,599?
Different channels, different bundles. The higher listings include a wrist adapter, cabling, warranty handling and import costs. The record keeps all four observations with tiers rather than picking one.
Is there a tactile version?
Not in the DFX configuration. Inspire's E2 variant is the one described as industrial with tactile sensing, and it weighs 790 g.
Sources
- Inspire Robots. Product selection guide, RH56 series. 2026
- Inspire Robots newsroom. Mass-production and pricing announcement. 2026-03
- US dealer playbook and comparison pages. USD listings. 2026
- US storefront pricing snapshot, eight brands. USD shelf prices. 2026-08-11
Record log
- Record created. Four USD channel prices and the domestic price captured.