MIT's Balloon Robot Gripper Lifts Objects 100 Times Its Weight
MIT and Harvard researchers create a soft robotic gripper that uses an origami skeleton and vacuum pressure to lift delicate and heavy items alike.
Researchers from MIT CSAIL and Harvard's Wyss Institute develop a groundbreaking soft robotic gripper that picks up objects up to 100 times its own weight. The device features an origami-inspired skeletal structure covered in either fabric or a deflated balloon, relying on the same principles the team uses to create low-cost artificial muscles.
A vacuum tube attaches to the gripper and sucks out the air, causing the soft exterior to collapse and tightly grip a wide variety of items. This malleable design eliminates the need for complex vision systems and allows the robot to handle fragile objects like grapes and eggs without causing any damage.
Professor Daniela Rus notes that this "Magic Ball" gripper system overcomes the limitations of previous packing robots, which only handle light or uniformly shaped items. The technology successfully performs pick-and-place tasks with an impressive range of objects, from heavy wine bottles to delicate broccoli and free-form shapes.