TR2021-088

Robotic Applications of Mechanical Metamaterials Produced Using SLA 3D Printing: Cthulhu-Morphic Grippers

    •  Solomon, E., Yerazunis, W.S., "Robotic Applications of Mechanical Metamaterials Produced Using SLA 3D Printing: Cthulhu-Morphic Grippers", Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium, DOI: 10.26153/​tsw/​17539, August 2021.
      BibTeX TR2021-088 PDF
      • @inproceedings{Solomon2021aug,
      • author = {Solomon, E. and Yerazunis, William S.},
      • title = {Robotic Applications of Mechanical Metamaterials Produced Using SLA 3D Printing: Cthulhu-Morphic Grippers},
      • booktitle = {Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium},
      • year = 2021,
      • month = aug,
      • doi = {10.26153/tsw/17539},
      • url = {https://www.merl.com/publications/TR2021-088}
      • }
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  • Research Area:

    Robotics

Abstract:

A multi-tentacular 3D-printed soft robotic gripper with 12 independently actuated degrees of freedom (DoF) is developed and tested. The gripper achieves both broad flexibility of each tentacle and high overall strength of the gripper by creating each tentacle from a mechanical metamaterial, produced using SLA 3D printing. This additive manufacturing method was paramount to the success of this design because key features of the chosen architecture could not have been easily manufactured any other way. With the exception of the steel-cable tendons, 100% of the actual tentacles are 3D printed. The gripper uses RC servos and tension cables to provide +/- 120 degree of flex range per tentacle section, with centralized control. The gripper is quantitatively evaluated for grip strength for multiple objects, grip modes and pull directions. With an axial lift strength well in excess of 100 N (lifting > 10 kg) the gripper is strong enough to be useful in industrial applications.