Humans have built cranes that are able to lift very heavy objects and move them easily. We have also designed large ships to transport large cargo, heavily across thousands of miles without sweating. But what if we want to do something that seems less spectacular? What if the goal is to move around the object that is not too heavy, maybe even small, but it needs to be dealt with very carefully? This can be anything from rare artwork to expensive precision machines. It can also be something ordinary like lifting egg yolks that you want to transport from one bowl to another. The problem with handling these objects is that they are very smooth, applying the wrong amount of pressure will almost certainly compromise their structural integrity and potentially destroy it This is the right problem, a group of researchers at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) has tried to solve it. Their solution is a new generation of robot grippers inspired by Kirigami who can lift fragile objects without causing damage.
How do the grippers work?
The new Gripper design took inspiration from the Japanese art of Kirigami, which was similar to more famous paper folding art called origami; This involves cutting the 2D material sheet and turn it into 3D form The researchers claimed the mospa-inspired method to convert 2D objects into robot grippers was “quite a bit” simpler than the previous method used in designing robot grippers. In addition, the clever idea of using some gaps also allow researchers to easily adjust the form of 3D objects produced. In YouTube videos, researchers show how Rudimenty gripper prototypes they can lift some objects – including egg yolks and human hair – with a little effort The researchers also revealed how their grippers were fundamentally different from the existing alternatives. Instead of trying to hold an object by pressing it, the NCSU left gripper gets rid of its entirely with the gripping and vice versa wrap the object before lifting it.
Who will benefit?
Kirigami inspired grippers are not available for companies to buy, because the concept is still under development. However, the technique used to make prototypes grippers can find use in various industries In addition to raising things that are truly fragile, NCSU researchers believe that these grippers can support several cases of medical and therapeutic use. Techniques can, for example, potentially used to make smart bandages that gently wrap the wounded knees, bend and move with the joints. This technique can also be useful for monitoring devices that can be used because of its flexibility, reducing discomfort against the subject, according to the team The researchers expressed interest in working with “industrial partners” which could help them modify this grippers for other potential real world applications
