Design and evaluation of variable-stiffness robotic grippers

Abstract

In store warehouses, objects differ in terms of shape. During the automation process, reliable grasping is required, due to the variability of object shapes and positions. The main objective is to create and validate a gripper design. It should be able to adapt to objects, grasping them. This grasping should be harmless. To develop a gripper, distinct models are created. To improve the capabilities, an iterative approach is used. An initial gripper is created. Upgrades and refinements are carried out. Two models are compared using benchmarks. The best model is selected. The main result of this thesis is the creation of a variable-stiffness gripper capable of changing its stiffness at will. It contains a variable-stiffness core. Performance is improved. The gripper is capable of grasping delicate objects. A Utility Model is published for the gripper design. This model permits the patenting of this research and the potential industrialisation.