Enhanced shape memory alloy-driven Fin Ray gripper system

This paper presents the development of a smart gripper system that integrates a Fin Ray Effect (FRE) gripper with Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator wires. Conventional pneumatic or hydraulic grippers often suffer from bulkiness, reliance on external sensors, and suboptimal contact with objects. In contrast, FRE grippers conform to diverse shapes, maximizing contact area, while SMA wires enable compact, smart designs with self-sensing capabilities for sensorless force and contact detection. Building on prior research optimizing SMA wire placement and demonstrating object contact detection, this study introduces an enhanced single-body FRE gripper with integrated SMA wires. The proposed design features a single-body soft gripper with three FRE fingers, enhancing adaptability while remaining lightweight and sensorless for delicate object manipulation. It also incorporates a bistable actuator to improve efficiency and overcome the limitations of conventional grippers, with a potential for Industry 4.0 integration. This work contributes to advancing soft robotic systems by integrating SMA technology for compact, smart and adaptive gripping solutions.