Soft Pneumatic Gripper
Air inflates a flexible gripper that curls to grab delicate objects without crushing them.
Start building ↓The build
Make the fingers
Mould flexible fingers with air channels.
Connect air
Link the channels to a syringe via tubing.
Mount the base
Arrange fingers around a palm.
Inflate to grip
Push air in and the fingers curl closed.
Pumping air into one-sided channels makes the soft fingers bend inward, wrapping gently around an object instead of pinching it.
A closer look
Soft robotics uses compliant materials and air pressure to grip irregular, fragile items that rigid claws would damage.
Variables to test
- 1 Vary air pressure — how gentle can it be?
- 2 Add a fourth finger — better hold?
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