Robots based on soft materials have revolutionized the field of robotics, as they possess the ability to replicate the appearance, movements, and abilities of humans and animals. However, the high cost of components and complex fabrication processes have hindered the large-scale production of many soft robots. In a recent development, researchers at the University of Coimbra in Portugal have successfully created a new soft robotic hand that is not only more affordable but also easier to fabricate, making it a potential game-changer in the field of robotics.
The team of researchers drew inspiration from nature, realizing that animals have both rigid and soft parts in their bodies. By integrating the concept of soft actuators with an exoskeleton, they aimed to create a robotic hand that closely mimics the structure and functionality of a human hand. This integration allows for the production of the hand using scalable techniques, thus reducing costs and making it more accessible for large-scale deployment.
Benefits of Soft Robots
Compared to their rigid counterparts, soft robotic systems offer several advantages. They are safer to operate and can coexist with humans and animals in various environments, both indoors and outdoors. Due to their soft and flexible nature, these robots are less likely to cause significant damage or injuries in case of collisions with humans, animals, or objects. This safety feature makes them particularly suitable for applications that involve close human-robot interaction.
The Objective of the Research
The primary objective of the research conducted by Pedro Neto and his colleagues was to develop an affordable and safe soft robotic hand. By achieving this goal, they aimed to enable the large-scale deployment of soft robotic systems, thereby fostering further advancements in the field of robotics. To reduce prototyping costs, the team utilized finite element analysis to optimize the design of the hand before physically fabricating it. The use of regular 3D printing also proved effective in directly printing components in soft materials and molds in rigid materials.
Design and Functionality
The soft robotic hand created by Neto and his team comprises five soft actuators, each corresponding to a finger, and an exoskeleton that enhances finger bendability. The hand utilizes an ON-OFF controller to maintain specific finger bending angles, which allows for effective gripping of objects with varying shapes, weights, and dimensions. The carefully designed structure of the hand closely replicates the appearance and functionality of human hands, enabling it to reproduce complex movements and abilities.
Promising Results
The researchers evaluated the performance of their robotic hand through simulations and experiments. The initial results were highly promising, as the hand successfully grasped numerous objects with different shapes, weights, and sizes. The integration of finite element analysis into the design-fabrication system was hailed as a significant achievement. This system has the potential to increase the accessibility of soft robotic hands while reducing costs and eliminating time-consuming design-fabrication procedures that often rely on resource-intensive iterative workflows.
The soft robotic hand developed by Neto and his team holds vast implications for the field of robotics. Its affordability and safety make it an ideal tool for academic teams and individual roboticists to test new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and other computational tools aimed at advancing robot abilities. Furthermore, the design of this hand opens a new avenue for the low-cost fabrication of humanoid robots that can assist humans in their everyday activities. Future studies will focus on enhancing the fabrication of soft actuators and sensors to make soft robots more accessible to a wider audience. Additionally, the team is delving into the research topic of controlling soft robots using artificial intelligence.
The development of an affordable and safe soft robotic hand by the researchers at the University of Coimbra brings forth immense possibilities for the future of robotics. By successfully integrating soft actuators with an exoskeleton, they have created a robotic hand that closely replicates the appearance and functionality of a human hand. With the potential to revolutionize the field of robotics, this breakthrough opens doors for advancements in AI algorithms and the low-cost fabrication of humanoid robots. The remarkable achievement made by Neto and his team marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of more accessible and safer robotics technology.
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