Technology Category
Intelligent Robots: ManipulationSearch and Optimization: Sampling/Simulation-based SearchHumans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices
Adaptive-twist Soft Finger Mechanism for Grasping by Wrapping
🤖 AI Summary
In densely stacked scenarios, conventional soft fingers struggle to insert into narrow gaps and stably grasp individual objects. Method: This paper proposes a single-pneumatic-source-driven adaptive torsional soft finger featuring a novel variable-stiffness pneumatic chamber design. The chamber enables stiffness to increase adaptively with applied pressure, enabling coupled in-plane bending and out-of-plane torsional deformation—facilitating deep-gap insertion and conformal enveloping grasping. Finite-element-based structural optimization and strategic selection of elastomeric materials ensure controllable normal contact force at the interaction interface. Results: Experiments demonstrate stable grasping of diverse geometric objects under cluttered conditions, with superior shape adaptability and operational robustness. The design establishes a new paradigm for selective object manipulation in unstructured environments.
Technology Category
Application Category
📝 Abstract
This paper presents a soft robot finger capable of adaptive-twist deformation to grasp objects by wrapping them. For a soft hand to grasp and pick-up one object from densely contained multiple objects, a soft finger requires the adaptive-twist deformation function in both in-plane and out-of-plane directions. The function allows the finger to be inserted deeply into a limited gap among objects. Once inserted, the soft finger requires appropriate control of grasping force normal to contact surface, thereby maintaining the twisted deformation. In this paper, we refer to this type of grasping as grasping by wrapping. To achieve these two functions by a single actuation source, we propose a variable stiffness mechanism that can adaptively change the stiffness as the pressure is higher. We conduct a finite element analysis (FEA) on the proposed mechanism and determine its design parameter based on the FEA result. Using the developed soft finger, we report basic experimental results and demonstrations on grasping various objects.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
Develops soft finger with adaptive-twist for object wrapping
Enables deep insertion into limited gaps among objects
Controls grasping force while maintaining twisted deformation
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
Soft finger achieves adaptive-twist deformation for wrapping
Variable stiffness mechanism uses single actuation source
Finite element analysis optimizes design parameters
🔎 Similar Papers
No similar papers found.
