Bloom Sêfte Robotyske Gripper by Bio-Inspired Robotics Design Lab

Bloom Sêfte Robotyske Gripper by Bio-Inspired Robotics Design Lab is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award yn Izer in Robotika, Automaat en Automatisearring Ûntwerp Competition Category.

IzerRobotika· 2022

Bloom Sêfte Robotyske Gripper

by Bio-Inspired Robotics Design Lab

Client: Bio-inspired Robotics & Design Laboratory

A' Design Award yn Izer Winner in Robotika Category

19,474

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #137335

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Bloom Sêfte Robotyske Gripper

Bloom is in sêfte robotyske gripper ûntworpen foar automatisearre hantearrings- en montaazjetaken. De gripper is ynspirearre troch de minsklike hân en troch it syklysk bloeien fan de Gallyske roas. Bloom is makke fan silikon en wurdt bewage troch luchtdruk. Ynlûkbere neilen meitsje it presys gripen fan tinne objekten mooglik. Opklapbere blêden meitsje it skeppen fan korrelich materiaal mooglik. In fleksibele hânpalm feroaret de iepeningsbreedte foar brede objekten. Lege en feilige drukken wurde brûkt om te wikseljen tusken de gripmodi. Bloom kin kwetsbere items feilich hantearje, ticht by minsklike wurknimmers.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award yn Izer

Bloom Sêfte Robotyske Gripper is in winner fan de A' Design Award yn Izer, in prestisjeuze erkenning foar goede ûntwerpen dy't foldogge oan de profesjonele en yndustriële easken dy't ferwachte wurde fan goed ûntwurpen skeppings. Izerwinners litte grutte feardigens, hege spesjalisaasje, deskundich begryp en kreatyf fermogen fan har makkers sjen. Fan Bloom Sêfte Robotyske Gripper wurdt ferwachte dat it in tige heech achte, bewûndere en dierbere skepping is dy't praktysk en ynnovatyf is. Dit winnende ûntwerp fan de A' Design Award yn Izer yntegrearret de bêste praktiken fan de sektor en hat feardige technyske skaaimerken ferbûn mei kennis en talint. Bloom Sêfte Robotyske Gripper wurdt respektearre foar syn yngeandens en is ûntwurpen om ferbetteringen fan de kwaliteit fan it libben te leverjen dy't helpe de wrâld ta in bettere plak te meitsjen.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Bloom is a bio-inspired, pneumatically actuated, shape morphing soft robotic gripper that is capable of on-site rapid workspace reconfigurability. It features passive retractable nails, bi-directional foldable petals, and a flexible palm to adapt to various grasping and manipulation tasks. The ability to rapidly reconfigure grasping workspace on-the-fly allows Bloom to perform assembly tasks consisting of highly varying subtasks, a feat previously not possible using conventional rigid or existing soft grippers.
Dimensions & Packaging: 115 x 115 x 152mm
Tags: Soft Robotics, Soft Robots, Bio-Inspired Design, Biomimicry, Robotics, Material Science
Production Technology: Design Optimization using FEA, 3D Printing, Silicone Moulding & Casting
Design Challenge: Consumer goods, logistics, and food industries have been benefiting from robotic intervention to meet evolving demands. In such industries, reliable robotic handling of food rely on versatile gripper interfaces with comprehensive and adaptive capabilities. Compared to traditional rigid grippers, Bloom, a state-of-the-art soft gripper utilizes compliant soft actuators made using functional hyperelastic materials, allowing it to grasp a wider range of geometries safely and reliably.
Research: Silicone and air are both soft materials and are the main components in this soft gripper. Because of this, Bloom is able to interface with soft objects safely and effectively.

Bloom can be used in many circumstances including food preparation and healthcare. Because of its material compliance, it is able to work closely with delicate objects and human coworkers. Thus, narrowing the gap between robots and humans.
Inspiration: A product of the Bio-Inspired Robotics Design (BRD) Lab at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Bloom was inspired by both the dexterity of the human hand and the intentional cyclic blooming of the Rosa gallica (Gallic Rose). Mimicking the function of the corpus unguis, (human fingernail) Bloom, can grasp objects as thin as 300 microns, large objects as heavy as 1.4kgs, while being able to scoop objects as small as 1.5 millimeters in radius.
Project Duration: The project concluded in February 2021, at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
Operation Flow: Bloom features retractable nails to help in precision grasping of small and thin objects. An optimized bi-directional flap design allows for scooping actions for granular objects such as grains, jelly or scrambled eggs. A multi-material palm design allows for changing Bloom’s aperture for wide objects. Bloom utilizes low, safe pressures (-80kPa to 60kPa) to switch between and operate the various grasping modes.
Team Members: Snehal Jain
Saikrishna Dontu
Joanne Ee Mei Teoh.
Image Credits: Snehal Jain
Saikrishna Dontu
Joanne Ee Mei Teoh
Aaron Chooi
Pablo Valdivia Y Alvarado