Dual-Drive Integrated Bionic Finger Inspired by Human Finger Tendon–Flesh Tissue

Abstract The rising prevalence of human–machine interaction in industrial processes has led to increased interest in soft fingers, thanks to their superior safety and mechanical compliance. Human fingers, known for their exceptional grasping properties, serve as a significant inspiration in soft finger research. This study introduces a tendon–pneumatic-driven (TPD) soft finger, inspired by the tendon–flesh organization of human fingers. The TPD finger comprises a tendon-driven (TD) module and a pneumatic-driven (PD) module. The integration of these modules allows the TPD finger to achieve outstanding load-bearing capacity and high dexterity, all while maintaining significant mechanical compliance. To evaluate the TPD finger's performance, we first analyzed the coupling effect between the TD and PD modules under various driving strategies. We then demonstrated the TPD finger's capability to grasp a pencil lead (0.1 g, 0.7 mm) without damaging its structure, utilizing the drive compensation between the PD and TD modules. Additionally, the TPD gripper was employed to handle objects with fragile surfaces of various shapes and sizes. The results indicate that different gripping modes, combined with the coupling effect of varied actuation strategies, allow the TPD gripper to execute multiple grasping modes (pinch-up, pick-up, hold-up, torsion) effectively. Overall, the TPD gripper exhibits commendable performance in terms of compliance, load capacity, and flexibility.