Within the field of robotics, stiffness tuning technologies have potential for a variety of applications-perhaps most notably for robotic grasping. Many stiffness tuning grippers have been developed that can grasp fragile or irregularly shaped objects without causing damage and while still accommodating large loads. In addition to limiting gripper deformation when lifting an object, increasing gripper stiffness after contact formation improves load sharing at the interface and enhances adhesion. In this study, we present a novel stiffness and adhesion tuning gripper, enabled by the thermally induced phase change of a thermoplastic composite material embedded within a silicone contact pad. The gripper operates by bringing the pad into contact with an object while in its heated, soft state, and then allowing the pad to cool and stiffen to form a strong adhesive bond before lifting the object. Pull-off tests conducted using the gripper show that transitioning from a soft to stiff state during grasping enables up to 6 • increase in adhesion strength. Additionally, a finite element model is developed to simulate the behavior of the gripper. Finally, pick-and-place demonstrations are performed, which highlight the gripper's ability to delicately grasp objects of various shapes, sizes, and weights.
The application of continuum manipulators as assistive robots is discussed and tested through the use of Bendy ARM, a tendon-driven continuum manipulator prototype. Two rounds of user testing were completed to evaluate the potential of this robot to aid disabled individuals in the completion of activities of daily living. In the first round of user testing, 14 able-bodied subjects successfully completed the prescribed task (pick-and-place) using multiple control schemes after being given a brief introduction and one minute of practice with each scheme. In the second round of user testing, subjects chosen from the first round of testing (n = 3) demonstrated between 29.45 and 48.91 percent improvement in completion time across three sessions (twelve trials total) of a peg-in-hole task, and between 8.39 and 33.81 percent improvement across two sessions (six trials total) of a task involving opening and closing a drawer. Based on these results, it is posited that continuum manipulators merit further consideration as a safer and more cost-effective alternative to existing commercially available assistive robotic manipulators.
Background: The application of continuum manipulators as assistive robots is discussed and tested through the use of Bendy ARM, a simple manually teleoperated tendon driven continuum manipulator prototype. Methods: Two rounds of user testing were performed to evaluate the potential of this arm to aid people living with disabilities in completing activities of daily living. Results: In the first round of user testing, 14 able-bodied subjects successfully completed the prescribed task (pick-and-place) using multiple control schemes after being given a brief introduction and one minute of practice with each scheme. In the second round of user testing, subjects ( n = 3 ) demonstrated between 29.5 and 48.9 percent improvement in completion time across twelve trials of a peg-in-hole task, and between 8.4 and 33.8 percent improvement across six trials of a task involving opening and closing a drawer. Conclusion: Based on these results, it is posited that continuum manipulators merit further consideration as a safer and more cost-effective alternative to existing commercially available assistive robotic manipulators.
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