Origami robotic gripper can flip pages and carry objects 16,000 times its weight

North Carolina State University researchers created a robotic gripper with unprecedented strength and flexibility. It is gentle enough to fold a cloth, pick up a water drop, and grab microfilms thinner than a strand of human hair. Yet, it has sufficient strength to lift a 6.4 kg object. More importantly, the team designed it as part of a robotic arm for various purposes.

It’s fun to explore the latest artificial intelligence trends, but most forget it is software. It requires hardware like a computer or robot to function. Tech experts understand this concept, so they develop tangible machines that can house the latest AI programs. Soon, this Origami-inspired robotic grabber could become a vital component of consumer robots.

This article will discuss how this robotic gripper works by following the Origami paper-folding art. Later, I will cover other robotics advancements to illustrate how close we are to having robot assistants in daily life.

How does this robotic gripper work?

This robotic gripper seems nothing like a claw or hand typically associated with robots. Instead, it looks like a face mask with multiple slits. A machine arm places an object between the slits and pulls both ends to grab it.

Jie Yin and his colleagues developed the device and published a research paper about it. Yin explains, “It is difficult to develop a single, soft gripper that is capable of handling ultrasoft, ultrathin, and heavy objects due to tradeoffs between strength, precision, and gentleness.”

“Our design achieves an excellent balance of these characteristics,” the NC State assistant professor added. The team developed the robotic grippers based on the Japanese art of paper folding, Origami.

Origami involves folding a sheet of paper into various shapes. However, the North Carolina State University researchers used another Origami form called Kirigami.

“Kiri” means “to cut,” and “kami” or “gami” means “paper.” As the name suggests, Kirigami involves cutting and folding paper into three-dimensional shapes.

Yaoye Hong, one of the co-authors, further elaborated on their inspiration. “Our new grippers also use kirigami but are substantially different, as we learned a great deal from the previous design.”

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“We’ve been able to improve the fundamental structure itself, as well as the trajectory of the grippers – meaning the path at which the grippers approach an object when grabbing it.”

The NC State University report said the design balances significant strength and gentleness because it can distribute force throughout the robotic gripper’s structure. “The strength of robotic grippers is generally measured in payload-to-weight ratio,” Yin elaborated.

“The strength of the grippers suggests a wide variety of applications,” he added. For example, you can make it out of biodegradable to “handle sharp medical waste.”

What are the other latest robotics projects?

Many companies are developing robots for consumer use. When I say “robots,” I don’t mean your robot vacuum cleaner. Nowadays, they aim to create robots that walk and look like people.

For example, Tesla unveiled its humanoid robot, Optimus, last year. CEO Elon Musk said, “Tesla Bots are initially positioned to replace people in repetitive, boring, and dangerous tasks.”

“But the vision is for them to serve millions of households, such as cooking, mowing lawns, and caring for the elderly,” Musk added. Meanwhile, another robotics firm demonstrated a machine that blows away Tesla’s flagship.

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Boston Dynamics shared a video where its Atlas robot helped a construction worker. It used its robotic gripper to grab the man’s tools and hurdled numerous obstacles to hand him his equipment.

To top it off, Atlas did a backflip at the end! Also, NASA has been developing a humanoid robot to help astronauts embark on space missions never thought possible.

However, Valkyrie’s first mission is on Earth, overseeing oil rigs for the Woodside Energy facility in Western Australia. It will ensure workplace safety, and the company will provide research data for the space agency.

Conclusion

North Carolina State University researchers developed a robotic gripper inspired by Origami. Its unique design lets it grab small objects delicately and lift heavy ones.

The experts say it has numerous applications, such as medical waste disposal. However, they have not disclosed products or companies using it in real life at the time of writing.

You can learn more about this machine grabber by reading the research paper. Also, check the latest in robotics, artificial intelligence, and more at Inquirer Tech.