Building A Better Gripper By Copying The Chameleon

We’ve heard that NASA and others are experimenting with grippers based on gecko’s foot padding. But researchers at the University of Oslo, working with the company Festo, have taken on the features of a chameleon’s tongue that make it sticky and converted it into a new robotic gripper.Called the FlexShapeGripper, it looks a little like the Versaball, which conform to an object’s shape before removing air to get a strong grip. However, the FlexShapeGripper instead features a fluid inside that’s removed to get a tight grip on smaller objects, like bolts and credit cards. This method also gives it a soft enough grip not to damage the object. Media Platforms Design TeamMedia Platforms Design TeamWatch and be amazed:View full post on YoutubeSource: Core 77 via FastCo DesignJohn WenzWriterJohn Wenz is a Popular Mechanics writer and space obsessive based in Philadelphia. He tweets @johnwenz.