Open AccessToward a Smart Compliant Robotic Gripper Equipped with 3D‐Designed Cellular Fingers
Author(s) -
Kaur Manpreet,
Kim Woo Soo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced intelligent systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2640-4567
DOI - 10.1002/aisy.201900019
Subject(s) - grippers , soft robotics , stiffness , process (computing) , 3d printing , biomimetics , computer science , bending , materials science , robot , mechanical engineering , engineering , structural engineering , artificial intelligence , operating system
Usual lightweight soft robotic bodies built with elastomer materials show lack of structural stiffness that limits their use in many practical applications. Herein, an architectured robotic body design with deformable cellular structures, which is easy to fabricate, lightweight, mechanically durable, and compliant while maintaining its resilience, is proposed. The cellular body design overcomes not only the stiffness limitation but also other drawbacks of most common soft bodies that may damage from high pressure or impact. An artificial cellular finger is printed together with embedded pressure sensors on the fingertip to form a functional system in a single‐building process with the advantage of multi‐material 3D printing. The integrated architectured grippers, composed of cellular fingers with a repeatable, reliable bending profile, demonstrate maximum gripping force as 16 N on actuation, with gripping capability of various objects. 3D cellular designs open up new possibilities for architectured robotic bodies that can immensely widen their space of applications.