CARICIA project
CARICIA project
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Title: Variable-stiffness gripper for handling delicate products
Dates: Dec. 2021- Dec. 2023
Grant PDC2021-121011-100 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR.
Ayuda PDC2021-121011-100 financiada por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/PRTR.
Objective
Objective
The project goal is to develop a robotic gripper based on a combination of under-actuated articulated fingers with a vacuum-based soft contact zone, in order to achieve a versatile and effective manipulator for delicate products, such as fruits and vegetables or others. A prototype resulting from a previous project is already available, but its design and manufacture requires improvements for its effective industrial application. The first phases for the industrial protection of the design concept have already been started. This proof of concept project has the aim of improving the level of technological maturity of the product, going from a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) close to 3 or 4 up to 6, with the development of a prototype to demonstrate the operation in a relevant environment, similar to the real one. For this, we propose design and prototyping activities, with a view to the technological improvement of the product. Moreover, actions oriented to the increase of the relationships with the industrial sectors of application and those devoted to implementation of robotic technology, including technological mentoring activities are also planned. In parallel, market studies will be carried out to assess the possible commercialization of the product, as well as training in entrepreneurship and creation of spin-off companies. At the end of the project it is expected to have a demonstration prototype of the new gripper in a relevant environment that can be used to facilitate the transfer of the product to the industrial sector.
Background
Background
Current opportunities for automation in new sectors require grippers capable of dealing with more varied and, above all, more delicate objects. A paradigmatic example is the handling of agri-food products where manipulation is required in direct handling, packaging and storage operations. In this case, the variety of products requires flexible grippers or terminal elements and, above all, capable of handling the products without damaging them. In general, rigid grippers are not a good option in these cases. A possible solution comes from the line of research called soft robotics. This approach investigates the development of soft, conformable materials and mechanisms that mimic tissues and structures of living organisms. This approach seems appropriate for dealing with delicate products.
In recent years, various design proposals for grippers and robotic hands have been made following the principles of soft robotics. However, many of them suffer from not being able to manipulate the objects in a controlled manner, precisely due to the lack of rigidity, although they do not damage the objects.This projects proposes the development of a robotic gripper that combines rigid and soft parts, whose stiffness can also vary in a controlled manner. In this way we collect the advantages of both approaches: the rigid structure allows effective for grasp control, and soft mechanisms and materials that allow adaptability and delicate contact with the product.
This proof of concept project is based on one of the results derived from the BENCH-HAND project and the ROBOPICKER project, developed in the Biomechanics and Ergonomics Group and the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory from Universitat Jaume I.
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