Exemplary embodiments provide enhancements for soft robotic actuators. In some embodiments, angular adjustment systems are provided for varying an angle between an actuator and the hub, or between two actuators. The angular adjustment system may also be used to vary a relative distance or spacing between actuators. According to further embodiments, rigidizing layers are provided for reinforcing one or more portions of an actuator at one or more locations of relatively high strain. According to further embodiments, force amplification structures are provided for increasing an amount of force applied by an actuator to a target. The force amplification structures may serve to shorten the length of the actuator that is subject to bending upon inflation. According to still further embodiments, gripping pads are provided for customizing an actuator's gripping profile to better conform to the surfaces of items to be gripped.

Exemplary embodiments relate to improvements in soft robotic systems that permit a soft robotic end effector to be a self-contained system, without reliance on a tether to deliver inflation fluid to the actuator(s) of the end effector. According to some embodiments, a robotic system may be provided including a soft actuator and a hub. The body of the hub may include an integrated pressure source configured to supply inflation fluid through the actuator interface to the soft actuator. The pressure source may be, for example, a compressor (such as a twin-head compressor) or a reaction chamber configured to vaporize a fuel to create a high-temperature pressurized gas and deliver the pressurized gas to the actuator One or more accumulators may receive inflation fluid (or a partial vacuum) from the compressor over time, and store the inflation fluid under pressure, thus allowing actuation over a relatively short time period.

Exemplary embodiments relate to applications for soft robotic actuators in the manufacturing, packaging, and food preparation industries, among others. Methods and systems are disclosed for fixing target objects and/or receptacles using soft robotic actuators, for positioning target objects and/or receptacles, and/or for diverting or sorting objects. By using soft robotic actuators to perform the fixing, positioning, and/or diverting, objects of different sizes and configurations may be manipulated on the same processing line, without the need to reconfigure the line or install new hardware when a new object is received.

There is provided a gripper, a gripping device, and an industrial robot that can more reliably grip a workpiece without using a granular material. The gripper includes integrally: a palm portion; a plurality of finger portions protruding from a periphery of the palm portion and configured to fall toward the palm portion by deforming the palm portion in a thickness direction; a connecting portion formed in a position surrounding an outer edge of the palm portion on a side opposite to a side formed with the finger portions, the connecting portion connected to a case; and a high-strength portion provided between the palm portion and the connecting portion, the high-strength portion having a predetermined length from the outer edge of the palm portion in the thickness direction of the palm portion, and the high-strength portion being less likely to be deformed than the palm portion.

An apparatus for mounting an O-ring to a work piece, including: a plurality of picking components operable to move away from each other to contact and expand the O-ring to pick the O-ring or to move towards each other to release the O-ring; and a guiding component including a frustum portion arranged coaxially with a groove of the work piece, a large end face of the frustum portion arranged adjacent to an end surface of the work piece on which the groove is formed, wherein a diameter of the large end face is substantially same as an inner diameter of the groove, wherein the picking components are operable to release the O-ring onto a tapered surface of the frustum portion so that the O-ring is pushed into the groove along the tapered surface.

A grip apparatus is provided. The grip apparatus includes: a housing formed therein with an accommodation space opened downward to accommodate an object; an elastic membrane provided in the accommodation space and surrounding the object; a fastening member at least partially positioned between an inner periphery of the housing and the elastic membrane to fasten the elastic membrane; and a winder configured to pull the fastening member by winding the fastening member.

A robotic end effector or end-of-arm tool may take the form of a mechanical digit (e.g., mechanical finger), or employ one or more mechanical digits (e.g., mechanical fingers), controllable in multiple degrees of freedom, e.g., pitch, yaw, curl. The mechanical digit(s) advantageously comprise a skeleton and three (3) piston/cylinders combinations, one controlling curl, and the other two controlling pitch and/or yaw. Mechanical digits may comprises a number of rolling contact joints. A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) carrying a variety of sensors covers the skeleton, and runs inside the rolling contact joints to provide a zero length change path. Knuckle imitators may cause a membrane cast or sheath joint to resemble human knuckles.

A robotic end effector or end-of-arm tool may take the form of a mechanical digit (e.g., mechanical finger), or employ one or more mechanical digits (e.g., mechanical fingers), controllable in multiple degrees of freedom, e.g., pitch, yaw, curl. The mechanical digit(s) advantageously comprise a skeleton and three (3) piston/cylinders combinations, one controlling curl, and the other two controlling pitch and/or yaw. Mechanical digits may comprises a number of rolling contact joints. A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) carrying a variety of sensors covers the skeleton, and runs inside the rolling contact joints to provide a zero length change path. Knuckle imitators may cause a membrane cast or sheath joint to resemble human knuckles.

The present disclosure provides an actuator including a pouch which is sealed and formed with an asymmetric structure, a dielectric fluid which is filled in the pouch, and an electrode which is attached to one surface of the pouch and the other surface opposite the one surface, wherein the pouch includes a first part provided on one side and having a predetermined area, and a second part provided on the other side opposite the one side and having a smaller area than the first part, and when power is applied to the electrodes, the first part or the second part of the pouch is expandable by movement of the dielectric fluid due to the asymmetric structure, and an active plate having the same.

A robotic end effector or end-of-arm tool may take the form of a mechanical digit (e.g., mechanical finger), or employ one or more mechanical digits (e.g., mechanical fingers), controllable in multiple degrees of freedom, e.g., pitch, yaw, curl. The mechanical digit(s) advantageously comprise a skeleton and three (3) piston/cylinders combinations, one controlling curl, and the other two controlling pitch and/or yaw. Mechanical digits may comprises a number of rolling contact joints. A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) carrying a variety of sensors covers the skeleton, and runs inside the rolling contact joints to provide a zero length change path. Knuckle imitators may cause a membrane cast or sheath joint to resemble human knuckles.