Synthesis of a Six-Bar Gripper Mechanism for Aerial Grasping
This work provides a specific gripper mechanism design for UAVs to grasp moving spherical objects, relevant for robotics challenges and aerial manipulation applications.
This paper synthesizes a 1-DoF six-bar gripper mechanism by determining its type, number of links and joints, and dimensions using geometric programming. The fabricated gripper, actuated by a DC motor, was mounted on a UAV to grip a spherical object in motion, addressing a task in the MBZIRC-2020 challenge.
In this paper, a 1-DoF gripper mechanism has been synthesized for the type of mechanism, number of links and joints, and the dimensions of length, width and thickness of links. The type synthesis is done by selecting the proper class of mechanism from Reuleaux's six classes of mechanisms. The number synthesis is done by using an algebraic method. The dimensions of the linkages are found using the geometric programming method. The gripper is then modeled in a computer aided design software and then fabricated using an additive manufacturing technique. Finally the gripper mechanism with DC motor as an actuator is mounted on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to grip a spherical object moving in space. This work is related to a task in challenge 1 of Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC)-2020.