Aspects described herein include an end effector that includes a pliable body member defining an inner recess and having a sealing surface at a distal end. The sealing surface forms a seal with items and defines a first suction area. The end effector also includes an inflatable bladder that expands into the inner recess. When the bladder is in an inflated state, the bladder defines a second suction area smaller than the first suction area. The end effector also includes a vacuum port in fluid communication with the inner recess.

The present disclosure provides an external clip-on fixture. The external clip-on fixture may include a support structure (1) and a first elastic member (2). The first elastic member (2) may be configured to sealedly wrap the support structure (1) and expand inward along a radial direction under actions of an inflating and deflating device. The external clip-on fixture of the present disclosure is small in size, light in weight, simple in structure, and low in cost. Fragile and soft objects with different sizes, regular or irregular external shapes, such as a column shape, a bottled shape, etc., may be stably clamped within a certain range without damaging the clamped objects.

An end-effector of a programmable motion device is disclosed. The end-effector includes a body that provides an open interior, the open interior being coupled to a vacuum source, and the body including a contact surface for contacting an object to be grasped by the end effector. The contact surface includes at least one aperture through which a vacuum is provided, and the body includes an outer surface that faces away from the open interior. The body provides that when the flow of air drawn by the vacuum source through the at least one aperture is reduced due to the at least one aperture being at least partially blocked, the outer surface of the body engages the object being grasped at least partially within the open interior of the body.

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 packaging target objects using soft robotic actuators, for moving and 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.

Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. The systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions described interact with and control robotic systems, in particular pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.

Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. Systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions are disclosed for interactions with and control of robotic systems, in particular, pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.

A soft robotic actuator is disclosed. The actuator includes a first portion with a substantially constant profile and a second portion with a regularly varying profile, and bends in a pressure-dependent fashion as the internal pressure within the actuator is increased or decreased.

An articulatable member includes a distal end, a proximal end, an actuation member, and a constraint member. The actuation member extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The actuation member transmits force to bend the articulatable member from a neutral position. The constraint member extends from the proximal end to the distal end. The constraint member may have opposite ends that are fixed to the distal end and the proximal end. In one embodiment, the constraint member follows a helical path along at least a portion of the articulatable member from the proximal end to the distal end. In another embodiment, the actuation member follows a helical path along at least a portion of the articulatable member.

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.

A system for processing device parts of simulated smoking devices, such as cartridges of electronic cigarettes, said system comprising a processing station to perform a processing operation on each of the device parts of a batch of device parts, which batch has a batch number of device parts being larger than one, an evaluation station to evaluate the result of the processing operation on each device part of the batch, which evaluation station is configured to provide an evaluation signal for each device part of the batch, a transport device to move the device parts of the batch along a production trajectory, which production trajectory extends through the processing station, the evaluation station and an isolating station, and a controller which is in communication with the evaluation station and the isolating station.