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Technology title

Reconfigurable workspace soft gripper

Technology overview

The Reconfigurable Workspace Soft Gripper (RWSG) is a bio-inspired, pneumatically-actuated, shape-morphing soft robotic gripper that is capable of rapid reconfigurability. It features passive retractable nails, bi-directional foldable petals, and a flexible palm to adapt to various grasping and manipulation tasks and requirements. The ability to rapidly reconfigure allows the RWSG to grasp a wide range of large, thin, hard, delicate, and deformable objects. These capabilities make the RWSG a uniquely advantageous tool for high mix low volume manipulation and packing scenarios such as food assembly, packaging of groceries, and packing of consumer electronics.

Technology specifications

The RWSG features retractable nails to help in precision grasping of small, thin, and high aspect ratio objects. An optimised bidirectional finger flap design allows its fingers to morph into scoop-like shapes to easily manipulate granular and semi liquid items such as grains, jelly, stews, curries or scrambled eggs. A multi-material palm design helps regulate the RWSG’s aperture to adapt for large or wide objects. The RWSG utilises low, safe pressures (-80kPa to 60kPa) to switch between and operate the various grasping modes.

Sector

Food packaging, waste segregation, high mix packaging and urban farming.

Market opportunity

Food packaging is identified as the beachhead market with TAM 360 B, SAM 125 B and SOM 600 M.

Applications

High mix low volume manipulation tasks for consumer goods, logistics, and food industries can benefit from advanced robotics to meet evolving demands in productivity, safety, and sustainability. These sectors often require manipulation and grasping capabilities that cannot be achieved by conventional robotics using rigid grippers or end-effectors. The RWSG can provide reliable and safe robotic handling of a wider range of objects in these challenging scenarios using its adaptive capabilities. With the ability of handling a wider range of objects, RWSG automation setups can help reduce changeover times (less or no tool changes required), improve safety (humans are not required any longer for manipulation in hazardous environments), and even contribute towards sustainability (less overall resources required).

Customer benefits

The RWSG offers unmatched versatility, safely handling everything from delicate items to heavy-duty objects with ease. Built from food-safe, hypoallergenic silicone, it performs reliably in both high and low temperatures, making it ideal for sensitive environments. Unlike traditional rigid grippers, it securely grasps complex shapes without damage and integrates seamlessly with all major collaborative robots for quick, cost-efficient deployment.

Technology readiness level

TRL 6: Technology is demonstrated in relevant environment

Ideal collaboration partner 

Exploring pilot project collaborations

Collaboration mode

We are happy to provide R&D collaboration as required by the potential customers.