Magnetically switchable soft suction grippers.

ABSTRACT: Grasping is one of the key tasks for robots. Gripping fragile and complex three-dimensional (3D) objects without applying excessive contact forces has been a challenge for traditional rigid robot grippers. To solve this challenge, soft robotic grippers have been recently proposed for applying small forces and for conforming to complex 3D object shapes passively and easily. However, rigid grippers are still able to exert larger forces, necessary for picking heavy objects. Therefore, in this study, we propose a magnetically switchable soft suction gripper (diameter: 20 mm) to be able to apply both small and large forces. The suction gripper is in its soft state during approach and attachment while it is switched to its rigid state during picking. Such stiffness switching is enabled by fillin

SUBMITTER: Koivikko A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7610552 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature