Granular jamming gripper with integrated suction

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel granular gripper with an integrated suction cup that independently controls suction and jamming, enabling more reliable grasping of objects on unstable surfaces.

Contribution

The introduction of a granular gripper with integrated suction that operates independently, improving grip stability on unstable or challenging surfaces.

Findings

Enhanced grasping performance compared to typical granular grippers.

Ability to grip objects on unstable ground like sand or water.

Robust stabilization of objects during manipulation.

Abstract

Granular grippers can manipulate a wide variety of objects, but need to be pressed on the object to conform to it. If the object is placed on unstable ground, e.g., on sand or water, this step might cause the object to sink or move away from the gripper, hindering proper operation. We introduce a granular gripper with an integrated suction cup, where suction and jamming are controlled independently. We demonstrate the system's robust and enhanced gripping capabilities by comparing its grasping performance with a typical granular gripper design. We show that the proposed device can grip objects that are challenging for typical granular grippers, including those placed on unstable ground, as the suction cup stabilizes the object, allowing the gripper to conform.