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Versatile Soft Grippers with Intrinsic Electroadhesion Based on Multifunctional Polymer Actuators.
Jun Shintake1,2, Samuel Rosset1, Bryan Schubert2
1Institute of Microengineering Neuchâtel Campus, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Rue de la Maladière 71b, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|November 10, 2015
Summary
A novel soft gripper utilizes advanced dielectric elastomer actuators with interdigitated electrodes to grasp diverse objects. This innovative design enhances electroadhesion, actuation, and self-sensing for a lightweight, fast, and integrated robotic gripper.
Area of Science:
- Robotics and Materials Science
- Soft Robotics and Actuator Technology
Background:
- Traditional robotic grippers face limitations in handling diverse object types and shapes.
- Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) offer potential for soft robotics but require design optimization for enhanced performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly versatile soft gripper capable of handling an unprecedented range of object types.
- To design and implement novel dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) with enhanced functionality.
Main Methods:
- Development of DEAs featuring an interdigitated electrode geometry.
- Integration of electroadhesion, electrostatic actuation, and self-sensing capabilities within the DEA design.
- Fabrication and testing of a soft gripper utilizing the novel DEAs.
Main Results:
- The new DEA design simultaneously maximizes electroadhesion and electrostatic actuation.
- The developed soft gripper demonstrates versatility in handling a wide range of object types.
- The integrated actuator design results in a lightweight, fast, and highly functional soft gripper with simplified control.
Conclusions:
- The novel interdigitated electrode DEA design offers a significant advancement in soft gripper technology.
- This integrated, multifunctional actuator approach leads to a highly versatile and efficient soft robotic gripper.
- The developed soft gripper presents a simplified yet powerful solution for complex object manipulation tasks in robotics.
