The field of robotics has seen significant advancements in recent years, with researchers constantly striving to improve the dexterity and effectiveness of robots in handling various tasks. One area of focus has been the development of robotic grippers or hand-like artificial systems that can manipulate different objects with ease. A recent study by researchers at Improbable AI Lab and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has introduced a new two-finger robotic gripper designed to tackle everyday manipulation tasks more effectively.
The researchers’ robotic gripper consists of a structure with two robotic fingers that closely resemble human fingers in size and shape. This design allows the fingers to bend and grasp objects securely, making it easier for the robot to pick up and place items in specified locations. The team’s focus was on creating a compact finger design based on series-elastic actuation, aimed at achieving optimal performance for a variety of everyday tasks.
To assess the capabilities of their two-finger gripper, the researchers conducted real-world experiments to evaluate its speed, compliance, and force application during basic pick-and-place tasks. The experiments included activities such as picking and placing dishes in a rack, handling thin and flat objects like paper, and grasping delicate items such as strawberries. Despite the simplicity of these tasks, the gripper performed admirably, showcasing its potential for use in basic household robots.
While the researchers initially designed a gripper with two degrees of freedom using only two fingers, they have plans to expand their design to include more fingers in future iterations. By increasing the degrees of freedom, they aim to further enhance the capabilities of the gripper for handling a wider range of objects and tasks. Additionally, the team acknowledges the potential for creating grippers with three or four fingers, although fitting all five fingers onto a hand may pose challenges that require more torque-dense actuators.
The development of robotic grippers like the one designed by the researchers at Improbable AI Lab and MIT holds great promise for enhancing the efficiency and versatility of robots in everyday settings. By focusing on creating compact, human-like fingers capable of performing a variety of tasks, the team has successfully demonstrated the potential for advanced robotic manipulation. As further improvements are made to the gripper’s design and performance assessment, the future of household robotics looks increasingly bright.