Computational Design of Reconfigurable Underactuated Linkages for Adaptive Grippers

We present an optimization-based structural-parametric synthesis method for reconfigurable closed-chain underactuated linkages for robotic systems that physically interact with the environment with an emphasis on adaptive grasping. The key idea is to implement morphological computation concepts to keep both necessary trajectory-specific holonomic constraints and mechanism adaptivity using variable length links (VLL), while we evolve from a fully actuated to an underactuated system satisfying imposed design requirements. It allows to minimize the number of actuators, weight, and cost but keep high payload and endurance that are not reachable by tendon-driven designs. Despite the method is general enough, for clarity, we demonstrate its use on a number of finger mechanisms for adaptive grippers.