Active Soft End Effectors for Efficient Grasping and Safe Handling

The end effector is a major part of a robot system and it defines the task the robot can perform. However, typically, a gripper is suited to grasping only a single or relatively small number of different objects. Dexterous grippers offer greater grasping ability but they are often very expensive, difficult to control and are insufficiently robust for industrial operation. This paper explores the principles of soft robotics and the design of low-cost grippers able to grasp a broad range of objects without the need for complex control schemes. Two different soft end effectors have been designed and built and their physical structure, characteristics, and operational performances have been analyzed. The soft grippers deform and conform to the object being grasped, meaning they are simple to control and minimal grasp planning is required. The soft nature of the grippers also makes them better suited to handling fragile and delicate objects than a traditional rigid gripper.