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Stronger at Depth: Jamming Grippers as Deep Sea Sampling Tools.
Stephen Licht1, Everett Collins1, Manuel Lopes Mendes1
1Department of Ocean Engineering, University of Rhode Island , Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Soft Robotics
|December 19, 2017
Summary
Universal jamming grippers show increased holding strength with higher jamming pressure. These grippers are effective in deep-sea environments, operating reliably at extreme pressures exceeding 100 atmospheres.
Area of Science:
- Robotics and Mechanical Engineering
- Oceanographic Technology
Background:
- Jamming grippers offer a novel approach to object manipulation.
- Their performance in high-pressure environments, such as the deep sea, is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally determine the holding strength of universal jamming grippers as a function of jamming pressure.
- To demonstrate the operational capability of jamming grippers in deep-sea conditions.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiments measured gripper holding force against varying pressure differences in a controlled, pressurized water cell.
- Field tests were conducted at sea, deploying jamming grippers on remotely operated vehicles at depths over 1200 meters.
Main Results:
- Gripper holding strength increased significantly with jamming pressure, exceeding three atmospheres.
- Successful operation and deployment of jamming grippers were confirmed at ambient pressures over 100 atmospheres in deep-sea trials.
Conclusions:
- Jamming grippers exhibit scalable holding strength directly related to jamming pressure.
- The technology is viable for deep-sea applications, leveraging achievable high pressures for robust gripping.
