The present invention relates to an electronic artificial hand including a power section, a tendon section, and a restoring line section for joint movement of a finger group which is capable of preventing unnecessary driving of the power section using tension of the tendon section caused by the joint movement of the finger group and implementing a gripping force similar to a gripping force of a person through a physical configuration using the tension of a spring section and the tendon section and which is easily implemented due to a simplified configuration and has low manufacturing costs.

Various stabilization devices for a robotic end of arm tool, such as a robotic gripper, are described. The stabilization device is provided in a palm area of the end of arm tool and serves as a backstop against which actuators of the end of arm tool can push a compliant or slick target object. The stabilization device may take many any of a variety of shapes, depending on the application. Based on the shape of the stabilization device and the action of the robotic gripper on the target object, the target object can be moved or rotated in a more stable configuration, thus allowing the actuators to apply less force while still maintaining a firm grasp of the object.

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: an electromagnetic shaft, an expandable balloon coupled to a first end of the shaft, and a fluid reservoir. A conduit also extends between the fluid reservoir and an interior of the balloon. The apparatus also includes a selectively magnetizable fluid, at least a portion of which is contained in the fluid reservoir, and a pump for selectively transferring the magnetizable fluid from the fluid reservoir to the balloon. A pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the magnetizable fluid, and a controller for controlling the pump are further included. Moreover, at least a portion of the shaft is flexible. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

An end effector system is disclosed for a robotic system that includes a primary acquisition system that includes a primary end effector, and a secondary retention system that substantially surrounds at least a portion of the primary acquisition system, wherein at least a portion of the primary acquisition system may be drawn up within at least a portion of the secondary retention system such that the primary end effector system may be used to select an object from a plurality of objects, and the secondary retention system may be used to secure the object for rapid transport to an output destination.

Exemplary embodiments relate to various improvements in soft robotic actuators, and techniques for manufacturing the improvements. For example, techniques for manufacturing a rigidizing layer for reinforcing a soft robotic actuator is provided. In another embodiment, a soft robotic actuator having integrated sensors is described. A flexible electroadhesive pad for achieving a conformal grip is also described. Still further, exemplary embodiments provide hydraulically-actuated soft robotic grippers, which allows for a reduction in the size of the actuation system and improved underwater operation.

Exemplary embodiments relate to pressurizable housings for a soft robotic actuator. The pressurized housings may be divided into an upper chamber in fluid communication with an internal void of the actuator, and a lower chamber connected to an inlet and an outlet. The upper chamber and lower chamber may be separated by a piston. By supplying a fluid to the lower chamber via the inlet, the piston is moved into the space previously occupied by the upper chamber, which reduces the volume of the upper chamber and increases the pressure in the internal void. This action allows the actuator to be rapidly inflated, and further simplifies the pressurization system and reduces its weight.

The present application discloses an apparatus for separating and feeding O-rings, which includes a rotatable body including a storage portion and a separating portion; and a helix groove formed on the rotatable body across the storage portion and the separating portion, wherein a width and a depth of the helix groove are adapted to a wire diameter of a O-ring, and pitch of the helix groove on the separating portion increases along a feeding direction from the storage portion to the separating portion, wherein in response to a rotation of the rotatable body, the helix groove conveys a plurality of O-rings hanged on the storage portion to the separating portion to thereby separate the plurality of O-rings away from each other.

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.

The present application discloses an apparatus for mounting an O-ring to a work piece, which includes a body including a plurality of connecting holes for connecting a pressure source to the body; an annular groove formed on the body and adapted to receive the O-ring; and a plurality of air channels formed in the body, the plurality of air channels being in fluid communication with the annular groove and the plurality of connecting holes to provide negative pressure with the pressure source in the annular groove to suck the O-ring in the annular groove, the annular groove is coaxial with a groove formed on a surface of the work piece during the mounting so that the O-ring is dropped into the groove when the pressure source is disconnected from the body or provides positive pressure to the plurality of air channels.

Reconfigurable soft robotic actuators with hard components are described. Magnetic attraction is used to couple flexible molded bodies capable of actuation upon pressurization with other flexible molded bodies and/or with hard components (e.g., frames and connectors) to form a seal for fluidic communication and cooperative actuation. Pneumatic de-coupling chambers built into the hard components to de-couple the hard components from the magnetically-coupled soft molded bodies are described. The use of magnetic self-alignment coupling and pneumatic de-coupling allows for the remote assembly and disassembly of complex structures involving hard and soft components. The magnetic coupling allows for rapid, reversible reconfiguration of hybrid soft-hard robots for repair, testing new designs, and carrying out new tasks.