Overview
- In lab tests on 31 varied objects, the soft gripper achieved 91.9% single‑trial grasp success and identified 93% of slips with 100% precision.
- Fin‑ray‑inspired, 3D‑printed fingers contain empty air channels whose pressure changes are read by off‑the‑shelf sensors for real‑time force and slip feedback.
- Researchers report more than 200 hours of experimental use for the fingers, contrasting with camera‑based approaches they say show shorter lifespans.
- Peer‑reviewed findings appear in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, with hardware designs and algorithms released publicly on GitHub (Merge Lab’s FORTE).
- Targeted improvements focus on reducing temperature sensitivity in the sensors and boosting the system’s ability to catch objects once slipping begins, with potential uses in food processing, health care, and manufacturing.