Abstract
As robots are tasked with increasingly diverse requirements, the grasping and manipulation of unknown objects will become ever more important. Thus, end effectors should be able to grasp the widest possible range of object shapes and sizes. Previously, we showed the grasping potential of a self-sealing suction cup array for solving this problem. In this work, we show an improved design for the cup, which is both smaller and more robust. Seal quality and force-displacement data are presented for this new design. We also show the design of a sample three-finger hand in which embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) wires actuate the individual fingers comprising the self-sealing suction cup arrays. Force and range of motion data are also presented. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to grasp and release a soccer ball using the three-finger hand attached to the PA-10 robot manipulator.
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