Teaching and developing intuition for robot control, hardware design, and human–robot interaction requires platforms that are both accessible and representative of real robotic systems. Cadence and Classica are two kinematically identical 2-DOF robotic platforms designed as educational and research testbeds for studying actuation, sensing, control, and teleoperation. Their low-dimensional structure allows students and researchers to engage directly with fundamental concepts while maintaining clear relevance to more complex robotic systems.
While sharing identical kinematics, Cadence and Classica differ in actuation and sensing architecture, enabling hands-on comparison of how hardware choices influence control performance and teleoperated interaction. Cadence incorporates harmonic drives and direct torque sensing via load cells for high-precision control, whereas Classica employs planetary gears and indirect torque estimation through motor current sensing to emphasize cost-effective and user-friendly design. Through structured experimentation and controller development, these platforms support education in robot modeling, control, and teleoperation, while serving as stepping stones toward higher-DOF systems such as Maestro Hand Exoskeleton and Harmony SHR.