Soft Robotic Hand Platform for Non-Destructive Plant Phenotyping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional rigid sensors for plant phenotype measurement cause damage, data distortion, and are inflexible, making them unsuitable for accurate, non-destructive, and continuous measurement of plant information.

Innovation Solution

A rigid-flexible coupling robotic arm type measurement platform integrating a crawler walking module, flexible robotic arm, and soft mechanical hand module, equipped with sensors and driving mechanisms, allows for precise, non-destructive, and automatic measurement of plant phenotypes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If traditional rigid sensors are used for plant phenotype measurement, then measurement structure is simple, but plant damage occurs and measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement structureVSAvoidplant damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional rigid sensors with a soft mechanical hand module composed of flexible materials. The soft hand includes flexible fingers and a soft cushion that can adapt to plant surfaces without causing damage, enabling non-destructive measurement while maintaining structural simplicity through the integration of flexible components throughout the measurement system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Stability of the object's composition

If rigid sensors are used for plant measurement, then structural stability is maintained, but adaptability to different plant terrains deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidadaptability to different plant terrains

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The soft mechanical hand module employs flexible fingers and cushion made of elastomeric materials that can conform to various plant terrains including leaves, branches, and stems. This flexibility enables the sensor to adapt to different measurement targets while maintaining structural integrity through the rigid robotic arm framework that provides stable positioning and support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement system integrates composite structures combining rigid robotic arm components with flexible soft hand materials. The rigid arm ensures structural stability and positioning accuracy, while the flexible soft hand provides adaptability to different plant surfaces, creating a synergistic composite system that achieves both stability and adaptability simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Measurement precision

If rigid invasive sensors are used for detecting plant tissues, then direct contact measurement is achieved, but data distortion occurs due to mechanical stress

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirect contact measurementVSAvoiddata distortion

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The soft mechanical hand uses flexible elastomeric fingers and cushion that can gently contact plant tissues without applying significant mechanical stress. This flexible contact enables direct measurement of plant phenotypes while avoiding the data distortion caused by rigid sensor compression, as the soft materials conform to the plant surface naturally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Device complexity

If manual measurement methods are used, then measurement simplicity is maintained, but measurement efficiency and accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement simplicityVSAvoidmeasurement efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic arm type measurement platform performs automatic measurement operations without requiring manual intervention for positioning and data collection. The system autonomously navigates to measurement targets using the crawler walking module, positions the soft mechanical hand, captures images, and retrieves phenotype data automatically, dramatically improving measurement efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity through integrated automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250345925A1Rigid-flexible coupling robotic arm type measurement platform and method for plant phenotype information

Publication Date: 2025.11.13 NANJING FORESTRY UNIV

AI summary

The present invention discloses is a rigid-flexible coupling robotic arm type measurement platform and method for plant phenotype information. The measurement platform includes a crawler walking module, a flexible robotic arm module and a soft mechanical hand module; the soft mechanical hand module includes a rotating motor and a soft mechanical hand assembly; the soft mechanical hand assembly includes an index finger assembly, a thumb assembly, a soft cushion and the like; and a first sensor and a second sensor are arranged on surfaces of an index finger end joint, a thumb end joint and the soft cushion. According to the present invention, the flexible robotic arm module can accurately control the position and direction to realize efficient and large-scale phenotype detection.