China’s rapidly expanding humanoid robot industry is driving strong growth in the market for dexterous robotic hands, with sales rising, prices falling and tactile sensing becoming increasingly common.

In Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, manufacturers are running production lines at full capacity as demand grows alongside the wider adoption of humanoid robots. One company has sold more than 4,000 dexterous hands since January, more than double the figure recorded during the same period last year.

Flexible tactile sensors, often described as “electronic skin”, are also moving into mass production. Sales of the sensors have surged, while prices have fallen by about 30 percent.

Meanwhile, improving industrial supply chains have sharply reduced the cost of dexterous hands. Prices that stood at around 50,000 yuan two years ago have fallen to below 10,000 yuan for some models.

China’s dexterous hand market sold about 19,200 units in 2025 and is forecast to reach 70,200 units in 2026. By 2030, sales are expected to exceed 430,000 units as technology advances and applications expand.