Read the full post at: /
In this project we show you how to make a universal robot gripper using an ordinary balloon and coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are placed in the balloon. When the balloon is inflated, the coffee grounds are loose and will easily move around an object. But when the air is sucked out of the balloon, the grounds are pulled together and grip the object from all sides. This works because of a process called "jamming": When a granular material such as coffee grounds is compressed, the friction between the grains locks them in place.
This kind of amorphous gripper is able to manipulate a wide variety of objects because the gripper changes its shape to fit the object that you want to pick up. The "universal gripper" design was developed by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Chicago. This project teaches you how to make a simple DIY version of their design.