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the objects it’s holding. For example, the gripper can turn screwdrivers,
screw in lightbulbs and even hold pieces of paper, thanks to this design.
In addition, each finger is covered with a smart, sensing skin. The skin
is made of silicone rubber, where sensors made of conducting carbon nano-
tubes are embedded. The sheets of rubber are then rolled up, sealed and
slipped onto the flexible fingers to cover them like skin.
The conductivity of the nanotubes changes as the fingers flex, which al-
lows the sensing skin to record and detect when the fingers are moving and
coming into contact with an object. The data the sensors generate is trans-
mitted to a control board, which puts the information together to create a 3D
model of the object the gripper is manipulating. It’s a process similar to a
CT scan, where 2D image slices add up to a 3D picture.
The breakthroughs were possible because of the team's diverse expertise
and their experience in the fields of soft robotics and manufacturing, Tolley
said.
Next steps include adding machine learning and artificial intelligence to
data processing so that the gripper will actually be able to identify the ob-
jects it's manipulating, rather than just model them. Researchers also are
investigating using 3D printing for the gripper's fingers to make them more
durable.
Materials provided by University of California - San Diego:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171010114614.htm
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