Soft Gripper with Self-Powered Triboelectric Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional rigid grippers face challenges in achieving high flexibility and dexterity, safe interactions with humans and environments, and grasping and manipulating soft or fragile objects, while existing soft grippers suffer from limitations such as slow response times, safety risks due to high voltages, and difficulties in precision control.
Innovation Solution
A soft gripper apparatus incorporating tribo-skin pressure sensors, internal bending sensors, flexible gripping fingers, and a self-powered actuator with cable-driven mechanism and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for sensing and actuation, enabling continuous deformation and safe interaction with delicate objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional rigid grippers are used, then structural strength and stability are maintained, but flexibility and dexterity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper employs flexible bellows-like structures and elastomeric materials to replace rigid links and joints, enabling continuous deformation while maintaining structural integrity through the flexible substrate that supports both actuation and sensing functions
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper integrates composite construction combining elastomeric materials for flexibility with embedded triboelectric nanogenerators and conductive elements, achieving both mechanical compliance and electrical sensing capabilities in a single integrated structure
2Force
If conventional soft actuators use pneumatic or hydraulic actuation, then actuation force is achieved, but device complexity increases due to additional equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for external pneumatic or hydraulic systems by embedding self-powered triboelectric nanogenerators directly within the soft actuator structure, generating actuation force through internal triboelectric mechanisms without requiring external pressure supplies
Solution Approach 2:
The triboelectric nanogenerators serve dual functions: they generate actuation force through triboelectric separation and simultaneously generate electrical signals for sensing, enabling the actuator to be self-powered and self-sensing without external equipment
3Force
If shape memory alloys are used for soft actuation, then actuation capability is achieved, but response speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the actuation mechanism from thermal-based shape memory alloys to direct triboelectric actuation, where electrical signals directly generate mechanical deformation through triboelectric separation, eliminating the slow heating and cooling cycles inherent in shape memory alloy operation
4Shape
If dielectric elastomers are used for actuation, then actuation strain is achieved, but safety risks increase due to high voltage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces dielectric elastomer-based actuation with triboelectric actuation mechanisms that operate at much lower voltages, substituting the high-voltage electrical field-based mechanism with a mechanical triboelectric separation process that generates equivalent actuation strains without safety hazards
5Measurement precision
If conventional sensors are integrated with soft robots, then sensing capability is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the actuation and sensing functions into a single integrated triboelectric nanogenerator system, where the same triboelectric mechanism that generates actuation force also generates electrical signals for position and contact sensing, eliminating the need for separate sensor systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The soft gripper apparatus achieves high flexibility and dexterity, safe interaction with humans and fragile objects, and effective grasping and manipulation of soft or complex geometries, with the TENGs providing self-powered sensing and energy harvesting capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
contact electrification and electrostatic induction
Implementation Method 2
contact electrification and electrostatic induction
Implementation Method 3
deposited and stretchable electronics such as piezo-resistive c-PDMS sensors
Data Source
AI summary
A soft gripper apparatus is provided. In another aspect, a soft gripper includes tribo-skin pressure sensors, an internal bending sensor, at least one flexible gripping finger and an actuator. A further aspect of a soft gripper apparatus employs longitudinally elongated, laterally spaced apart and self-powering, electrically conductive strips that sense and send a bending signal to a programmable controller indicative of a bending angle of a gripping finger within which the strips are encapsulated. Another aspect of a gripping apparatus includes at least one workpiece pressure sensor and/or at least one bending sensor, which are connected to a programmable controller and electrical circuit to automatically determine a characteristic of the workpiece.