Inverse tendon actuated fingers for active grasping
A robotic system for grasping an object including a set of movable robotic fingers that may be in the form of a fin gripper or other moldable robotic finger similarly formed. The robotic fingers include a mechanism that is embedded in one or both of the fingers that allows the fingers to more firmly grasp an object. Further, an actuator may move the mechanism to further grip an object and perform an action on the object.
1 . A robotic gripping device comprising:
a robotic arm;
one or more opposable inverse tendon actuated fingers, comprising:
an inner wall;
an outer wall;
a mechanism embedded in the outer wall; and
a base;
wherein:
the one or more opposable fingers are configured to move toward each other to grasp an object; and
a movement of the mechanism allows the one or more opposable fingers to engage with an object by pushing the outer wall of one of the one or more opposable fingers so that the one or more opposable fingers engage with the object and pulls an outer wall of one of the one or more opposable fingers to release the object.
2 . The robotic gripping device as described in claim 1 , wherein the one or more opposable fingers includes a fin gripper.
3 . The robotic gripping device as described in claim 2 , wherein the fin gripper is composed of soft materials and is triangular with cross beams that buckle and deform or collapse around the object.
4 . The robotic gripping device as described in claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is a metal spring strip.
5 . The robotic gripping device as described in claim 1 , wherein there is an actuator that pushes or pulls the mechanism.
6 . The robotic gripping device as described in claim 1 , wherein a design of the fingers allows them to passively engage with the object before actively engaging using the mechanism.
7 . The robotic gripping device as described in claim 1 , wherein an object is released by pulling the outer wall of the one or more opposable fingers.
8 . An apparatus comprising:
a robotic arm;
one or more opposable inverse tendon actuated fingers connected to the robotic arm and configured to move toward each other to grasp an object, wherein each inverse tendon actuated finger comprises:
an inner wall;
an outer wall;
a set of cross beams that connect the inner surface with the outer surface; and
a mechanism embedded in the outer surface that when pushed engages with an object by pushing the outer wall of one of the one or more opposable fingers with a mechanism and that pulls the outer wall of one of the one or more opposable fingers to release the object.
9 . The apparatus as described in claim 8 , wherein the one or more opposable fingers includes a fin gripper.
10 . The apparatus as described in claim 9 , wherein the fin gripper is composed of soft materials and is triangular with cross beams that buckle and deform or collapse around the object.
11 . The apparatus as described in claim 8 , wherein the mechanism is controlled by a user providing a set tension.
12 . The apparatus as described in claim 8 , wherein there is an actuator that pushes or pulls the mechanism.
13 . The apparatus as described in claim 8 , wherein a design of the fingers allows them to passively engage with the object before actively engaging using the mechanism.
14 . A robotic gripping system comprising:
a robotic arm;
one or more opposable inverse tendon actuated fingers connected to the robotic arm and configured to move toward each other to grasp an object, wherein each inverse tendon actuated finger comprises:
an inner wall;
an outer wall;
a set of cross beams that connect the inner surface with the outer surface; and
a mechanism embedded in the outer surface that when pushed engages with an object by pushing the outer wall of one of the one or more opposable fingers with a mechanism and that pulls the outer wall of one of the one or more opposable fingers to release the object; and
a control system configured to control the robotic gripping device, wherein the control system comprises:
one or more processors;
a non-transitory computer-readable memory; and
program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable memory and executable by the one or more processors to control the robotic gripping device.
15 . The system as described in claim 14 , wherein the one or more opposable fingers includes a fin gripper.
16 . The system as described in claim 15 , wherein the fin gripper is composed of soft materials and is triangular with cross beams that buckle and deform or collapse around the object.
17 . The system as described in claim 14 , wherein the mechanism is a metal spring strip.
18 . The system as described in claim 14 , wherein there is an actuator that pushes or pulls the mechanism.
19 . The system as described in claim 14 , wherein a design of the fingers allows them to passively engage with the object before actively engaging using the mechanism.