A 3D-printed underactuated soft gripper with sensors on fingertips

In recent years, soft robotic grippers have attracted significant attention due to their unique capabilities and sustainable impact across various scientific and industrial applications, particularly in robotic grasping and manipulation. Grasping is a delicate task that often requires both dexterity and precision to securely hold objects without causing damage. To enhance these capabilities, cost-effective, 3D-printed soft devices have been prototyped, with a focus on improving precision, robustness, and versatility. This work explores the design, characterization, and force recognition of a novel 3D-printed underactuated soft gripper, which features four monolithic soft fingers actuated by tendons and equipped with sensors on the fingertips. The sensors embedded in the fingertips are Force Sensing Resistors (FSRs), which have been characterized and calibrated to regulate grasping forces.