Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
The system uses a machine knitting process to create banana "fingers," as they are called.This process is not much different from theA human designer sets stitch patterns and sensors in the system to program how it will beThe finished textile part is attached to an inexpensive silicone tube.
The knitted drive includes a conductive thread,responsible for perception. With its help, the drive "feels" what it touches. The scientists used a combination of elastic and sensory stitches (with a conductive thread), which makes it possible to program the bending of the devices when they are inflated, as well as the ability to take into account feedback during use.
The team prepared several prototypes, includingassistive glove, soft hand, interactive robot and pneumatic walking quadruped. At the same time, the robot "felt" when human hands touched it, and reacted to this touch.
Engineers say that a person can wearan auxiliary glove to complement the movement of the finger muscles, minimizing the level of intrinsic muscle activity. This could be useful in cases of injury, limited mobility, or even in the creation of exoskeletons.
Photo: MIT
The researchers note that the system canuse different sensors. For example, when designing, they used a "resistive pressure sensor" to determine how much grip force is applied to an object. And in order to understand what the objects with which the grip interacted consist, capacitive sensing was used. All of these sensors are easily integrated into the filament.
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