3D-Printed Grippers for Robots That Grip Almost Anything
University of Washington researchers developed a method for making 3D-printed grippers for robots that are capable of grabbing almost anything.
![3d-printed-gripper-that-grasps-anything.jpg](https://minio.news.mecharithm.com:443/mecharithm/3d_printed_gripper_that_grasps_anything_e8ef929279.jpg)
Their method involves an algorithm that can design a 3D-printable passive gripper based on the target object and its position and then calculates the best path to pick it up without collisions.
![3d-printed-robot-grippers.jpg](https://minio.news.mecharithm.com:443/mecharithm/3d_printed_robot_grippers_e874bfb1ce.jpg)
Tests were performed on 22 objects with challenging shapes, including a 3D-printed bunny, a wedge-shaped doorstop, a tennis ball, and a drill. Twenty of these 22 objects were gripped successfully, including two very challenging objects, the wedge and a pyramid-shaped object with a curved keyhole.
![3d-printed-grippers-can-pick-a-variety-of-objects.jpg](https://minio.news.mecharithm.com:443/mecharithm/3d_printed_grippers_can_pick_a_variety_of_objects_a44b0cb2ef.jpg)
This research enables companies to make robot gripper switches as smooth as possible for carrying out different tasks with robots.
More information:
- https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3528223.3530162