Demonstration of the Sensorized RBO Hand 2: Using Task Knowledge to Efficiently Sensorize Soft Actuators

Contact with objects and the environment will cause complex deformations in soft hands. While the space of possible deformations of soft hands is very large due to their flexible materials, deformations that actually occur during contact interactions are much more limited. We use this knowledge to add sensors that measure task-relevant deformations. This demo presents the Sensorized RBO Hand 2, capable of measuring three-dimensional deformation of each of its four fingers. This enables it to detect and measure contacts that occur during grasping and manipulation.