Method and device for manipulating an object

1. A method for grasping an object with a remote vehicle having a camera and a manipulator attached to a manipulator arm, the method comprising:

locating the object and the manipulator within the field of view of the camera;

pressing the manipulator housing to the object;

activating a granular jamming phase change material in a housing of the manipulator to switch form a liquid behavior to solid behavior to cause the manipulator to grasp the object by evacuating air from the manipulator housing to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable; and

moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to manipulate the object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the jamming phase change material is a granular material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after activating the jamming phase change material, the interior of the housing is at a negative pressure and the manipulator is rigid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a balloon.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a high-friction material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a flexible or elastic material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is a door knob or door handle and manipulating the object comprises actuating the door knob or door handle to open a door to which the door knob or door handle are attached.

8. A system for use with a remote vehicle and allowing the remote vehicle to manipulate an object, the system comprising:

a manipulator arm having a proximal end and a distal end, and being attached to the remote vehicle at the proximal end;

a manipulator located at the distal end of the manipulator arm and comprising a housing and a granular jamming phase change material within the housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable;

a camera mounted on the remote vehicle at a known position with respect to the manipulator arm; and

a vacuum in fluid communication with the interior of the housing, the vacuum changing a vacuum level in the housing for activating the jamming material;

wherein, to manipulate the object, the object and the manipulator are located within the field of view of the camera and the object is manipulated by moving the manipulator arm to press the manipulator housing to the object, activating the jamming material to switch form a liquid behavior to solid behavior to cause the manipulator to grasp the object, by evacuating air from the manipulator housing to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, and moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the jamming material is coffee grounds.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a balloon.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a platinum-cure or tin-cure silicone-based rubber.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the object is a door knob or door handle and manipulating the object comprises actuating the door knob or door handle to open a door to which the door knob or door handle are attached.

13. A method for using a remote vehicle having a camera attached to a manipulator arm and a manipulator attached to the manipulator arm to open a door having a knob, the method comprising:

locating the object and the manipulator within the field of view of the camera;

actuating the manipulator arm to press the manipulator to the knob;

activating a granular jamming phase change material in a housing of the manipulator to switch form a liquid behavior to solid behavior to cause the manipulator to grasp the knob by evacuating air from the manipulator housing to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable;

rotating the manipulator arm and thus the knob to unlatch the door; and

moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to pull or push the door.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the manipulator comprises more than one housing.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the housings is provided on a finger of a gripper.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein actuating the manipulator arm to press the jamming manipulator housing to the knob comprises:

positioning the fingers of the manipulator so that they are on substantially opposite sides of the knob; and

pressing the fingers of the manipulator onto the knob so that the housings conform at least partially to a shape of the knob.

17. A manipulator and a camera to be used on a manipulator arm of a remote vehicle, the manipulator comprising a housing filled with a granular jamming phase change material,

wherein the camera and the manipulator have a known spatial relation to each other,

wherein, to grasp an object with the manipulator, the object and the manipulator are located within a field of view of the camera, and

wherein the manipulator is pressed to the object to be manipulated and grasps the object when a rigidity of the manipulator is increased to effect a change in a state of the jamming phase change material form a liquid behavior to solid behavior, by evacuating air from a housing of the manipulator holding the jamming phase change material to change a fluid volume in the manipulator housing, wherein, prior to activating the jamming material, an interior of the housing is at atmospheric pressure and the manipulator is pliable.