Study on grasping performance of a novel flexible-rod structure for an inner grasper on a soft gripper

Abstract This research focuses on analyzing how the design and configuration of the inner grasping structure affect the hold’s ability to conform to shapes, maintain stable grasps, and adapt to object geometries. Through a series of experiments, factors such as grasping position, dimension, shape, and weight variations of the object have been evaluated to determine their influence on key gripper characteristics like grasping ability, contact area, and adaptability. The findings offer valuable insights for optimizing the mechanical design of soft grippers to enhance their effectiveness and make them more viable in handling an object, particularly in applications where conformity and adaptability are crucial on the object surface. Using low-viscosity liquid silicone rubber (LSR) as the primary material extends the previous studies and will be a valuable finding for academic and practical applications.