Disclosed are various embodiments of a three-dimensional perception and object manipulation robot gripper configured for connection to and operation in conjunction with a robot arm. In some embodiments, the gripper comprises a palm, a plurality of motors or actuators operably connected to the palm, a mechanical manipulation system operably connected to the palm, a plurality of fingers operably connected to the motors or actuators and configured to manipulate one or more objects located within a workspace or target volume that can be accessed by the fingers. A depth camera system is also operably connected to the palm. One or more computing devices are operably connected to the depth camera and are configured and programmed to process images provided by the depth camera system to determine the location and orientation of the one or more objects within a workspace, and in accordance therewith, provide as outputs therefrom control signals or instructions configured to be employed by the motors or actuators to control movement and operation of the plurality of fingers so as to permit the fingers to manipulate the one or more objects located within the workspace or target volume. The gripper can also be configured to vary controllably at least one of a force, a torque, a stiffness, and a compliance applied by one or more of the plurality of fingers to the one or more objects.

A three-finger mechanical gripper system is provided, which includes a torque sensor, a three-finger mechanical gripper, an image capturing module and a controller. The three-finger mechanical gripper is connected to the torque sensor. The controller is connected to the torque sensor, the three-finger mechanical gripper and the image capturing module. The image capturing module captures the image of a training object. The controller controls the three-finger mechanical gripper to grip the training object by a plurality of gripper postures respectively and calculates the torque information of each gripper posture according to the measured values of the torque sensor. Then, the controller performs a training process according to the image of the training object and the torque information of the gripper postures in order to obtain a training result of the training object.

A parallel manipulator with six degrees of freedom may include a base that attaches to a unmanned aerial vehicle and a movable gripper element that may be positioned below the UAV. The positioning of the gripper element my reduce impact of the center of gravity of the attached UAV. The gripper element may include a geometric shape that complements objects routinely used in high-throughput screening (HTS) laboratories, such as microplates. The parallel manipulator and gripper element may be used to quickly, safely, and securely move objects in HTS laboratories and/or the like.

A gripper device includes a plurality of gripper claws, a plurality of linear motion units, each of which is disposed on corresponding one of the plurality of gripper claws, a synchronization mechanism configured to synchronize movement of the plurality of linear motion units, a first cylinder configured to apply a driving force thereof to the linear motion unit or the synchronization mechanism, a second cylinder having a shorter stroke and a greater driving force as compared to those of the first cylinder, and a transmission mechanism having a clutch which is configured to establish or release mechanical connection between the second cylinder and the synchronization mechanism.

There is provided a robot hand that grips and positions a work with a certain gripping force, and that rapidly conveys the work to execute assembling after gripping the work.

A robot hand is provided and includes a robot hand control unit that has at least three gripping fingers on a base and controls the robot hand, a plurality of drive mechanisms that brings the three gripping fingers independently close to or separate from each other, a plurality of drive control units that individually controls each of a plurality of drive sources of the plurality of drive mechanisms, and a distribution control unit that is disposed on the base and distributes an instruction value from the robot hand control unit to the plurality of drive control units associated with the plurality of gripping fingers. At least one of the gripping fingers includes an integrally formed drive source and drive control unit.

A soft robotic gripper having component parts capable of being assembled in the field at the terminus of an industrial robot arm for providing adaptive gripping of a product. A hub includes a pneumatic inlet leading to outlets. Finger mounts with pneumatic passages hold inflatable fingers, and tension fastener(s) secure and compress the finger mounts toward the hub by passing through the pneumatic passages and fastening under tension in a direction of the hub.

A soft robotic gripper having component parts capable of being assembled in the field at the terminus of an industrial robot arm for providing adaptive gripping of a product. A hub includes a pneumatic inlet leading to outlets. Finger mounts with pneumatic passages hold inflatable fingers, and tension fastener(s) secure and compress the finger mounts toward the hub by passing through the pneumatic passages and fastening under tension in a direction of the hub.

Object manipulation space optimization is a challenging task and used in applications such as heat treatment operation and transport packaging. Traditionally manual intervention is involved to grasp and place the objects for ensuring multi object stacking with zero gap between adjacent objects. This leads to higher cost infrastructure and low productivity. Further, conventional gripper devices fail to optimize object manipulation space and are unable to handle objects of different cross sections with larger lengths. The present disclosure provides a gripper apparatus addressing a single gripper design comprising an adaptor holding unit with a provision for different modular object holding units which are varied in accordance with size, shape and length of the object to be grasped and placed by the gripper apparatus. The modular object holding unit comprises a plurality of fingers which are actuated for grasping and stacking one or more objects such that object manipulation space is optimized.

Various examples are provided related to end effectors for use in, e.g., automation of sewing robots. In one example, among others, a compliant perimeter end effector includes a mounting bracket having a contact mounting flange, a plurality of compliant material contact elements coupled about a perimeter of the contact mounting flange. The mounting bracket can couple to a manipulator including, e.g., an industrial robot or other manipulation assembly. The compliant material contact elements can include a contact interface that can engage with a piece of material. The compliant material contact elements can precisely transfer material on a workspace with surface irregularities while equally distributing force to the material.