8 accepted papers
We present a capacitive sensor suitable for a gripper that uses thin films of gecko-inspired adhesives. The sensor is fabricated directly on the films and measures the area over which the adhesive makes intimate contact. In experiments, a new underactuated gripper uses adhesive films to acquire and
In robotics, high gear reductions are often required when using an electromagnetic motor to drive revolute joints, as in a humanoid robot. Strain wave gears (SWGs), also known as harmonic drives, are often used. However, these transmissions are relatively expensive and have a fixed gear ratio. Here,
Previous work has demonstrated the versatility of soft robotic grippers using simple control inputs. However, these grippers still face challenges in grasping large objects and in achieving high-strength grasps. This work investigates the combination of fluidic elastomer actuators and gecko-inspired
Active sensing provides a way to assess whether a thin film of gecko-inspired adhesive has made good contact with a surface. This knowledge is useful for applications like gripping objects in space where a failed grasp could lead to loss of the object. Our active sensing approach uses Lamb waves in
We present work on incipient slip sensing and recovery for controllable gecko-inspired adhesives. The approach is based on the relationship between changes in real contact area and maximum shear force. Using signals from an on-board tactile sensor, we detect the onset of adhesive failure and execute
We present a simple statistical model to predict the maximum pulling force available from robot teams. The expected performance is a function of interactions between each robot and the ground (e.g., whether running or walking). We confirm the model with experiments involving impulsive bristlebots, s
Adhesion quality sensing is critical to the performance of any robot that utilizes gecko-inspired dry adhesives for climbing, perching, or grasping. We present a 3-axis tactile sensor designed for this application that demonstrates performance on par with a large commercial load cell while being com…
The controllable adhesives used by insects to both carry large loads and move quickly despite their small scale inspires the μTug robot concept. These are small robots that can both move quickly and use controllable adhesion to apply interaction forces many times their body weight. The adhesives ena…