A variable stiffness soft gripper with integrated ion-drag pump
Published in SPIE Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) XXIV, 2022
Recommended citation: Michael Smith, Krishna Manaswi Digumarti, Vito Cacucciolo, and Herbert Shea "A variable stiffness soft gripper with integrated ion-drag pump", Proc. SPIE PC12042, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) XXIV, (18 April 2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2615068
Abstract
We present a compact, prehensile and soft gripper capable of varying its stiffness on demand, allowing not only grasping but also manipulation of objects. The gripper consists of fluidic chambers within a silicone structure and two electrostatic clutches bonded to opposite external surfaces. Actuation is achieved by pressurizing the chambers using an integrated electrohydrodynamic ‘ion-drag’ pump while simultaneously blocking one of the clutches, causing the structure to bend around and grasp an object. Once the object is grasped, the second clutch is blocked, significantly increasing the bending stiffness of the structure and allowing the object to be manipulated.
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