FORCE FEEDBACK GRIPPING DEVICE WITH A MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL BASED ACTUATOR

摘要

A force feedback gripping device employs a mechanical gripper (23), an electromagnetic actuator (22) and a force feedback controller (21). The mechanical gripper (23) is operable to be actuated to one of a plurality of gripping poses for gripping an object. The electromagnetic actuator (22) includes a magnetorheological elastomer (“MRE”), wherein the MRE is operable to be transitioned between a plurality of shapes dependent upon a variable strength of a magnetic field applied to the MRE, and wherein each shape of the MRE actuates the mechanical gripper (23) to one of the gripping poses. The force feedback controller (21) is operable to control the variable strength of the magnetic field applied to the MRE based on an estimation of a gripping force of the mechanical gripper (23) and on a sensing of a load force of the object responsive to the gripping force of the mechanical gripper (23).