DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF A MULTI-FINGERED GRIPPER FOR DEXTEROUS MANIPULATION

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a multi-fingered gripper, which is able to achieve manipulation of objects with six degrees of freedom by actuating exactly six joints. After grasping, adhesion forces, provided, e.g. by an electromagnet or a vacuum cup, ensure that the fingertips remain connected to the object to be manipulated. The resulting closed-loop mechanism, formed by the gripper and the object features a kinematic structure similar to that of parallel manipulators. Such a gripper has many advantages over existing industrial grippers, often used for simple gripping tasks, and existing mechanical hands with a complex and costly control architecture.