Universal jamming gripper: experimental analysis on envelope and granular materials

I. de Rodrigo, J. Belart, A.J. López López

Machines Vol. 12, nº. 1, pp. 52-1 - 52-20

Summary:

This article presents a materials optimization for the universal jamming gripper, one of the most versatile tools for robotic grasping. For this purpose, we analyze both the granular interior material and its surrounding deformable envelope. We combine four different granulate sizes (glass balls ranging from 0.2 to 1 mm) with four envelope materials (three silicones and latex), resulting in 16 prototype combinations. We use a tensile test machine to recreate the robot’s vertical movement in a real scenario situation. Thus, we can have precise control of the gripper’s immersion depth, forces, and displacements. Thanks to the tensile test, we extract the critical parameters to evaluate every material combination and the gripper’s performance. Therefore, we provide an experimental guide to selecting the right materials and rule out bad combinations for soft robots and specifically for the universal jamming gripper.

Spanish layman's summary:

Este estudio sobre el universal jamming gripper prueba 16 combinaciones de gránulos y envolturas. Descubre que el látex de paredes delgadas mejora el agarre y la capacidad de levantar peso al aumentar la fricción, esencial para muchas aplicaciones industriales robóticas.

English layman's summary:

This paper optimizes materials for the universal jamming gripper in robotics. It tests 16 granulate-envelope combinations, finding latex with thinner walls enhances grip by increasing friction and weight-lifting capabilities, which is crucial for diverse industrial robotic applications.

Keywords: universal jamming gripper; jamming effect; soft robotics

JCR Impact Factor and WoS quartile: 2,100 - Q2 (2023)

DOI reference: https://doi.org/10.3390/machines12010052

Published on paper: January 2024.

Published on-line: January 2024.

Citation:
I. de Rodrigo, J. Belart, A.J. López López, Universal jamming gripper: experimental analysis on envelope and granular materials. Machines. Vol. 12, nº. 1, pp. 52-1 - 52-20, January 2024. [Online: January 2024]