A device for gripping an object includes a pair of grippers each having a gripping surface formed with a plurality of fine channels, a driver for driving the pair of grippers, a pump connected to at least one of the plurality of fine channels, to supply a fluid to the at least one of the plurality of fine channels, and a controller for controlling the driver to enable the pair of grippers to grip the object or controlling the pump to adjust an amount of the fluid supplied to the gripping surface.

Provided is a machine tool hand including a body portion that is mounted so as to be attachable to and detachable from a spindle of a machine tool, and that is provided with a flow path connected to a coolant-liquid supply path formed in the spindle; and two or more hand members that are attached to the body portion such that at least one of the hand members is pivotable about a prescribed axis, and that are capable of gripping an object therebetween by being closed. The flow path is provided with discharge ports via which a coolant liquid supplied from the coolant-liquid supply path is discharged toward surfaces of the hand members that are exposed to an outside, and a pressure of the coolant liquid causes an opening operation or a closing operation of the hand members.

A manipulator configured for transferring a block having a core, the manipulator includes an end effector including an elongated member including a tip; and a resilient member configured for assuming a first state in which the resilient member has a first hardness and first size and a second state in which the resilient member is configured for assuming a second state in which the resilient member has a second hardness and second size, the resilient member is disposed on the tip, wherein the elongated member is configured to be disposed such that the tip is disposed within the core and the resilient member is disposed in the first state before the resilient member is disposed in the second state to engage the core and the elongated member is moved to transfer the block.

Systems and methods for grasping and manipulating objects are presented. The systems include a first actuator configured to either contract, expand, or rotate about a first axis. In some cases the actuator acts to deform a structure that is configured to grasp an object. In other cases the actuator directly interacts with an object to grasp the object or aid in the grasping of the object. The entire system may be connected to a robotic arm or other system to allow for picking and placing of objects. The first actuator includes a compliant shell defining an enclosed cavity, a dielectric fluid disposed within the enclosed cavity, a first electrode disposed on a first side of the compliant shell, and a second electrode disposed on a second side of the compliant shell opposite the first side.

Various examples are provided related to pneumatic soft robotic spiral grippers. A fiber optic sensor can enable spiral-gripper sensing of, e.g., atwining angle and target cylinder diameter. In one example, a pneumatic soft robotic spiral gripper includes an elastic spine with an embedded fiber optic sensor and a pneumatic spiral channel twining around the elastic spine. The pneumatic spiral channel can be formed in a soft gripping material surrounding the elastic spine. In another example, a method fabrication of a pneumatic soft robotic spiral gripper includes providing a gripper mold with an outer mold wall and a spiral shaped rod positioned within the outer mold wall. An elastic spine can be inserted through the spiral shaped rod and the gripper mold filled with gripping material that can be cured to form a soft gripping material surrounding the elastic spine.

A particle gripper comprising a flexible surface membrane connected to a resiliently deformable neck portion which has a cavity filled with a phase change material, and at least one air tube, the flexible surface membrane and the phase change material are configured to deform around an object to be gripped; and wherein the at least one air tube is used for inflating and/or creating a vacuum within the cavity such that the cavity can be inflated so that the phase change material is forced against the flexible surface membrane to expand the flexible surface membrane, and a transition means which is applied to the phase change material in the cavity so that it changes phase of the material from a liquid to a solid so that object is gripped by the flexible surface membrane and the phase transition material.

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.

Disclosed are soft origami actuators with embedded optical waveguides and underwater manipulator applications.

One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of robotic grasping systems, and in particular to an active robotic manipulator that includes a passive grasping component so that the robotic manipulator can grasp a wide variety of objects and simultaneously provide soft grasping features which reduce the risk of damage to objects.

A gripping device includes: a gripping portion configured to be displaced between a closed position in which a workpiece is grasped and an open position in which the workpiece is released; a holding portion configured to hold the gripping portion; a shaft portion that extends from the holding portion; a support portion configured to support the shaft portion such that the gripping portion faces the workpiece; a driving unit configured to displace the gripping portion between the closed position and the open position; and a moving mechanism configured to move the support portion in an axial direction of the shaft portion, in which the support portion is configured to support the shaft portion such that when a load acts on the shaft portion in the axial direction, the shaft portion is slidable relative to the support portion.