January 13, 2014Coffee-filled robotic gripper becomes a commercial product

The Versaball grasps a shock absorber

Image Gallery (3 images)

Back in 2010, we first heard about a clever device known as the robotic universal jamming gripper. With its business end composed of a party balloon filled with coffee grounds, it could form a secure grip around objects of varying sizes and shapes. Now, that device has been commercialized – although incorporating higher-tech materials than balloons and coffee.

Created in a collaboration between the University of Chicago and Cornell University, the new version of the gripper is called the Versaball, and it's being produced by spin-off company Empire Robotics.

It utilizes the "jamming transition" phenomenon, in which granular objects remain loose and almost liquid ordinarily, but jam together to form a solid when vacuum-packed. It's the same process by which a package of vacuum-packed coffee feels rock-hard when sealed, but becomes soft and pliable once opened.

In the case of the Versaball, a granular material is packed into a rubber ball on the head of the device. That ball has a bean bag-like consistency when initially pressed onto an object, letting it conform to the shape of that item. A vacuum is then applied inside the ball, drawing out the air and causing it to "harden" around the object. The Versaball can then pick the item up (as long as it weighs no more than 20 lb/9 kg), move it, then release it simply by releasing the vacuum.

Although the first version will be aimed at industrial applications, it is hoped that subsequent models could find use in assisted living devices, prostheses, and military robots.

The team that designed the initial prototype apparently had no plans to commercialize the technology, but changed their minds after receiving inquiries from a number of companies. Empire is now taking orders for the device, which should begin shipping later this month. It can be seen in action in the video below.

Sources: University of Chicago, Empire Robotics

咖啡夹持器逐渐商业化

1月13日2014Coffee填充机器人夹具变成一个商业product

的Versaball掌握减震器

图片廊（3图像）

早在2010年，我们第一次听说被称为一个聪明的装置机器人通用干扰夹持器。随着公司业务结束聚会气球充满了咖啡渣组成，它可以形成围绕不同尺寸和形状的物体安全的抓地力。目前，该设备已被商业化 - 尽管整合技术含量更高的材料比气球和咖啡

创立于芝加哥大学和康奈尔大学，被称为Versaball夹持器的新版本之间的合作，而且它正在生产。分拆公司帝国机器人。

它利用了“干扰过渡”的现象，在这种颗粒状物体保持松散和几乎液体通常，但果酱在一起形成固体时真空包装。这是相同的过程，其中一包真空包装的咖啡感觉坚硬的密封时，却变得柔软，柔韧一旦被打开。

在Versaball的情况下，颗粒材料装入一个橡皮球该装置的头部。该球具有当最初压到一个对象，让它符合该项目的形状的豆袋状稠度。的真空然后被球内施加，抽出空气并使其“硬化”对象周围。然后，Versaball可以选择的项目了（只要它的重量不超过20磅

9千克），移动它，然后释放真空释放它根本。

虽然第一个版本将针对工业应用，它希望后续机型能找到生活辅助设备，假肢，和军用机器人使用。

所设计的初始原型的团队显然没有计划将该技术商业化，但接受调查的多家企业后，改变了主意。帝国现已接受订单的设备，它应该在本月晚些时候开始出货。它可以在下面的视频中可以看出在行动