MCSG: A Morphology Configurable Soft Gripper With Self-Adaption Modular Composite Finger

Abstract

Current soft grippers lack active variable stiffness composite fingers and flexible modular configuration, which limit their robust grasp abilities. We proposed a morphology configurable soft gripper (MCSG) assembled with self-adaption modular composite fingers (SAMCFs), whose grasping force can be up to 193N. The SAMCF with three actuator modules embedded arranged sponge and paperboard and one sensor module made with pre-inflated air chamber is developed to perform soft grasp with high load capacity and self-sensing ability. Through assembling corresponding SAMCFs to main frame, MCSGs with dual fingers (MCSG-DF), with three fingers (MSCG-TF), with four fingers (MSCG-FF) and with six fingers (MSCG-SF) are manufactured to adapt for grasping objects with different shapes, sizes, and weights. A pneumatic control system with hybrid valve combination is designed to output air pressure from negative to positive to perform contraction and elongation motion simultaneously, and output positive pressure to provide preset pressure for sensor modules. Finally, a multi-channel pneumatic control system is developed to control MCSGs to grasp a variety of objects, such as cherry tomato (10g), egg (170g), banana (155g), stool (3570g), etc. Furthermore, MCSGs can complete complicated tasks in daily life, such as water decanting, bottle cap unscrewing, mobile phone charging and water pumping.