Hyper-Flex Robotic Gripper
Master's Thesis: A novel underactuated planar robotic gripper with improved small cylinder grasping and collision robustness
Affiliation:
Northeastern University: Master's Thesis
Role:
Time Range:
Project Lead, Sole Mechanical Design Engineer
2024-Present
Skills:
Mechanical Design, Failure Analysis, CAD (Solidworks), Conceptualization, Parametric Design, Underactuated Mechanisms, Complex Motion, Precision Motion, Machining, Additive Manufacturing, Vendor Communication, Low-Impedance Systems, Teleoperation, Robotic Manipulation, System Controls, Optimization, BLDC Motors, Frameless Motors, Precision Sensing, Technical Writing, Technical Communication
Background:
This project was my master's thesis project, which was my primary research effort for the duration of my master's degree. This was a project suggested by Professor Peter Whitney as an effort to develop the most versatile and best planar underactuated gripper. The design was inspired by a number of existing products and research projects, but it was designed from first principles with a new linkage featuring remotized springs, deep caging abilities, and improved grasping range. The goal was to develop a high-fidelity prototype gripper suitible for teleoperation, which required some precise and advanced low impedence design work.
Images:
My Contributions:
• Designed new linkage for underactuated robotic gripper from first principles
• Built and designed handheld prototype to test and refine kinematics and contact behavior
• Ran motion simulations to assess and quantify object interactions
• Performed mechanical analysis for advanced prototype, including reflected inertia, friction, dynamic, impedance, failure, and load analysis.
• Worked with manufacturers to produce custom and high performance motors and motion components
• Designed frameless motor linear actuator for ultra-low cogging and reflected inertia actuation
• Developed modular rotary linkage joints with preloaded bearing pairs
• Design(ing) and build(ing) high fidelity machined gripper for teleoperation
• Presented gripper prototype at NERC 2024
• Working towards master's thesis and RA-L paper submissions
Outcomes:
The development of the high fidelity actuated version of the Hyper-Flex gripper is ongoing. By May 2025 I will have finished the gripper and teleoperation system, and I will have produced papers for RA-L and the Northeastern Thesis Database.
Throughout this project I have learned an incredible amount about design and analysis for high performance and precision systems. I have learned about preloaded bearing pairs, frameless BLDC motor design, precision engineering, controls, and dynamic analysis.