An adhesive apparatus with an electrostatic adhesive including a microstructured adhesive disposed over an electrode and/or a piezoelectric element. The adhesive can be added to any robotic gripper, such as a gripper finger formed of a flexible material and including a grip surface. The electrode and/or a piezoelectric element can be used for applying an electrostatic field and/or ultrasonic vibration, configured for cleaning the microstructured adhesive, releasing the adhesive, and/or sensing a load on the adhesive apparatus.

A capacitive or resistive tactile sensor having a conductive membrane, a flexible dielectric or weakly conductive sheet and a substrate having electrodes, and a method of manufacturing thereof. The flexible sheet has a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface and the second surface are uniformly distanced when at rest. The first surface is adapted to contact one of the conductive membrane or the substrate. The second surface is adapted to contact another one of the conductive membrane or the substrate. The body defines between the first and second surfaces, at a predetermined region, a plurality of laser ablated uniform cavities that are evenly distributed and operatively identical in order to provide a known compression index at the predetermined region of the flexible sheet. The substrate has uniformly distributed static pressure sensing electrodes and at least one uniformly spread dynamic pressure sensing electrode, which is located between the static pressure sensing electrodes, and is used for measuring a voltage or a current variation with the conductive membrane according to the deformation of the flexible sheet.

A fluid powered gripper can include a body, a bore, a first finger, a second finger, and a piston. The body can include a central bore coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of the body. A bore fluid inlet can be fluidly coupleable to the central bore. The first finger can be rotatable about the body. The second finger can oppose the first finger and the second finger can be rotatable about the body. The piston can be disposed in the central bore. The piston can be powered by a fluid to move between a first position and a second position. The first finger and the second finger can be closed in the first position and open in the second position.

A method is provided that includes controlling a robotic gripping device to cause a plurality of digits of the robotic gripping device to move towards each other in an attempt to grasp an object. The method also includes receiving, from at least one non-contact sensor on the robotic gripping device, first sensor data indicative of a region between the plurality of digits of the robotic gripping device. The method further includes receiving, from the at least one non-contact sensor on the robotic gripping device, second sensor data indicative of the region between the plurality of digits of the robotic gripping device, where the second sensor data is based on a different sensing modality than the first sensor data. The method additionally includes determining, using an object-in-hand classifier that takes as input the first sensor data and the second sensor data, a result of the attempt to grasp the object.

Example systems and methods are described that are capable of gripping objects. In one implementation, a system includes a first finger that includes a plurality of teeth and a second finger that is mechanically coupled to the first finger and includes a plurality of teeth. The first finger and the second finger are configured to move apart when the first finger and the second finger are moved in a first direction against an object. The first finger and second finger are further configured to grip the object when the first finger and the second finger are moved in a second direction that is substantially opposite to the first direction.

Features are disclosed for an end effector for automated identification and handling of an object. The end effector includes an end effector that can be positioned over a pick point of an overpackage in which a desired object is location using sensors. Using the location information, the end effector can identify a path to the pick point and detect whether the pick point is engaged by detecting environmental changes at the end effector.

An apparatus for a robotic limb includes one or more limb segments connected via one or more joints. The robotic limb may feature one or more dual-reduction quasi-quasi-direct-drive joint actuators that permit the robotic limb to move throughout a scene. The robotic limb may further include an end-effector connected to a free end of the robotic limb with one or more opposable fingers comprising a four bar linkage. The end-effector may include a main actuator that actuates the one or more fingers via the four-bar linkages to complete various tasks.

A drone payload device includes a remote drone arm and a control module. The remote drone are is coupleable to a drone. The remote drone arm includes a base, an arm, and a gripper. The base includes mounting hardware to couple to the drone. The arm extends from the base. The griper is coupled to the arm at an end of the arm distal from the base. The control module is coupleable to a drone controller. The control module is to provide a control signal to the remote drone arm to control a movement of at least one of the arm and the gripper.

A system for handling a first component includes: a main-device and a module-device, the module-device having a pressing section arranged to form an outer surface of the module-device, the module-device configured to releasably receive the first component, such that a connection section of the first component is attachable to the pressing section of the module-device. The module-device is releasably connected to a second component, wherein the main-device includes a grabbing unit adapted for releasably connecting the module-device, such that the pressing section is arranged to form a first outer surface section of the main-device, and wherein the main-device includes a connector for connecting to a handling-unit for arranging the main-device at the second component, such that the connection section of the first component, if attached to the pressing section of the module-device, is at least indirectly attachable to a front surface of the second component.

The present disclosure provides a gripper of a robot and a robot including the same. The gripper may include a case, a plurality of fingers rotatably connected to the case, and a plurality of connecting rods. A first end of each of the connecting rods may be connected to a respective one of the fingers. The gripper may also include a driving assembly connected to a second end of each of the connecting rods, and the driving assembly may be configured to drive the second end of each of the connecting rods to move along a moving direction so as to drive the plurality of finger to rotate. The gripper may further include a force detecting assembly connected to the case and the driving assembly, which may be configured to limit a position of the driving assembly along the moving direction and to detect a force from the driving assembly.