A Low-Cost Bio-inspired Soft Wrist Enhancing Robotic Manipulation Dexterity

Manipulation plays a crucial role in the automation of modern logistics. One of the most challenging tasks in logistics is packaging, which requires precise and skillful manipulation of target goods. Expert human laborers excel in this task, as their wrists can easily adjust the orientation of their hands to adapt to different picking surfaces and reorient the target as needed. This ability significantly enhances human maneuverability and efficiency. However, robots still struggle to match the capabilities of human laborers, particularly when it comes to manipulating objects' orientations in tight spaces. To address this challenge in automatic packaging, we propose a novel solution: a soft robotic wrist. Our robotic wrist utilizes a cable-driven origami mechanism to adjust its configuration, enabling omni-directional bending. This innovative design dramatically enhances dexterity and expands the workspace of existing robotic manipulators. To validate the effectiveness of our robotic wrist, we conducted dedicated experiments to assess its dexterity and precision. Building upon this technology, we developed an intelligent packaging system that incorporates the robotic wrist. This system can automatically locate the target and determine its orientation, reorient the targets as necessary, and place them in the desired position. Overall, our proposed robotic wrist offers a promising solution to the challenges of dexterous and efficient robotic packaging in logistics and warehouse applications.