In context
In early 2023, robotic grippers were a key bottleneck in automation, struggling with irregular or delicate objects. Flexiv, known for its Rizon adaptive robots, aimed to address this with a novel gripper combining gecko-inspired adhesion and precise force sensing.
What was reported
Flexiv announced the upcoming release of the Grav gripper, featuring industrial-grade force control and an adhesive material based on a gecko's foot pad. This combination allows the gripper to lift nearly any item within its grasp, including oddly shaped or unevenly textured objects.
The gripper employs both impactive and contigutive grasping techniques for maximum flexibility. It can sense resistive forces in the sub-gram region, making it suitable for delicate tasks such as inserting micro components, transferring fragile items, and machine tending.
Initially designed for Flexiv's Rizon robots, the Grav was adapted for standard collaborative robots after customer testing revealed broader demand. Thanks to a universal end-of-arm socket, only minimal modifications were needed for compatibility.
Ryan Coulson, Flexiv's lead mechatronics engineer, noted: "Not only have we successfully implemented force control, but we have also given the gripper the ability to handle traditionally difficult objects like spheres thanks to the gecko material." The Grav gripper is scheduled for availability in Q2 2023.
Why it mattered
The Grav gripper represented a step toward reducing end-of-arm tool changes and expanding the range of objects robots can handle, potentially improving flexibility and efficiency in manufacturing automation.
"Not only have we successfully implemented force control, but we have also given the gripper the ability to handle traditionally difficult objects like spheres thanks to the gecko material."
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2023-02-10 · “Flexiv to release ‘revolutionary’ robotic gripper”