Design, Characteristic Analysis and Modeling of a Tailored Soft Robot for Phosphorite Grabbing

The grabbing of phosphorite rocks is an important process in the mining industry. Traditional grabbing technology based on rigid robots faces challenges such as heavy weight, low flexibility, and insufficient safety. This study presents the structural design, characteristic analysis, and modeling of a novel tailored soft robot for phosphorite grabbing (TSRPG). The TSRPG is designed with soft, flexible materials, providing flexible movement and high safety in complex environments. The design inspiration of the robot comes from humans using their thumb and index finger to hold things, and the structural design mainly focuses on the flexibility and grabbing function of the robot. The grabbing function of the TSRPG is exhibited by several actual grabbing experiments. In addition, through characteristic analysis, we explore the robot’s motion properties under various input air pressure conditions. A mathematical model of the TSRPG is developed to depict its characteristics based on the nonlinear ARX model. The developed mathematical model provides a base for promoting the practical application of the TSRPG.