Robots no longer always have to be cold, hard, metal objects. The gripping arm shown by the AMOLF researchers is soft and pliable. ‘We do not use metal but soft materials, such as silicone rubber, to make parts like this’, researcher Jelle de Vries explains. Without extra sensors but with the help of air pressure, the gripper determines the size of a certain object and where it should stop squeezing. ‘With a hard gripper, you have to know exactly where and how to grasp an object, because otherwise you run the risk of crushing it.’ In the food industry, for example, a soft gripper is therefore very useful. De Vries: ‘Most food products are irregular by definition; these grippers can be used safely without damaging the food.’
The team is also looking for innovations in the control of the various types of soft robots, says PhD student Alberto Comoretto. ‘Traditionally, static components are used to control soft robots, such as electronics. We want to try to get rid of all those components and trade them in for a controller that only uses mechanics and fluid technology. We provide one constant flow source and as a result of an internal circuit of fluidics the robot can exhibit quite complex behaviour, such as walking.’
The latest edition of NWO's annual magazine Resultaat features a cartoon about the soft robots. Read the article here on our website. Want to know more? During TEKNOWLOGY on 31 May 2022 you can find Bas Overvelde (AMOLF) and his team at the innovation market to learn more about their research and soft robotics.
