Research Projects

soft robotic grippers are a growing field that combines robotics, materials science, and engineering to create flexible, adaptable grippers that can grasp various objects. These grippers are made from soft materials and actuated by pneumatic, hydraulic, or electrical actuators. They have potential applications in industrial manufacturing, medical, and rehabilitation devices. Most designs focus on pneumatic actuation due to its reliability and robustness. However, these grippers have slow response times and are difficult to control. Tendon-driven grippers offer advantages like precise control, high force output, and energy efficiency, but suffer from poor stiffness properties. A novel hybrid design is proposed that dynamically adjusts the gripper's stiffness, allowing it to safely grasp and manipulate complex objects. This hybrid design combines the advantages of both designs, but more research is needed to address challenges like tendon routing, fatigue, pneumatic control, and the integration of these systems. Key activities include designing and fabricating a tendon-driven three-finger robotic gripper, characterization of compliance, force, and motion, mapping actuation pressure, tendon tension, stiffness, and shape, characterizing grasping and grip, and synthesizing an impedance control for odd-shaped objects.