Design and Experimental Test of Rope-Driven Force Sensing Flexible Gripper

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Reliable robotic grasping in industry and agriculture heavily relies on force sensing.
• Existing flexible gripper force sensing methods often require embedded sensors or intelligent materials, increasing manufacturing complexity and altering contact surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and validate a novel rope-driven force sensing flexible gripper.
• To achieve contact node and force sensing without embedded sensors for flexible grippers.

Main Methods:

• Design of a rope-driven flexible gripper with distinct driving, transmission, gripper, and force sensing units.
• Development of a force sensing algorithm and control system utilizing finite element method and grasping geometry.
• Experimental validation of the gripper's force sensing capabilities with objects of varying diameters and contact points.

Main Results:

• Successful design and prototyping of the rope-driven force sensing flexible gripper.
• Demonstration of accurate grasping control and sensor data acquisition/processing.
• Experimental verification of effective force sensing for different object sizes and contact configurations.

Conclusions:

• The novel rope-driven force sensing flexible gripper offers a new approach for intelligent robotic grasping systems.
• This design avoids issues associated with embedded sensors, providing a viable alternative for industrial, agricultural, and research applications.