Research seminar: Maria Cristina Valigi

Title: From Human Grasping to Adaptive Robotic Grippers: Mechanics, Contact and Design. 

Presenter: Associate Professor Maria Cristina Valigi, Department of Engineering, University of Perugia. Italy.

Abstract: Aristotle defined the hand as “the tool of tools.” It is a part of the human body through which we explore and understand the world around us. The research begins with the study of the fundamental mechanisms governing hand grasping and manipulation, with the aim of understanding the strategies and mechanical principles underlying them.

The results obtained are then translated into practical solutions, particularly for industrial applications. The grasping strategies observed in humans serve as a reference for designing and developing versatile and adaptable robotic grippers, capable of manipulating objects with different shapes, sizes, and levels of stiffness, as well as wearable devices that can adapt to different activities and to the characteristics of individual users.

By employing concepts from soft robotics and soft materials, our goal is to develop fingers and grasping structures that are intrinsically safe, able to conform during contact, and capable of automatically adapting both to the characteristics of the object being grasped and to the specific needs of the user.

The design of the proposed grippers and fingers will be presented and analysed for both power and precision grasping, with a particular focus on precision grasping, which is essential for the manipulation of objects in unstructured and highly variable environments. he fingerpad–object contact will be investigated using traditional methods to better understand the interaction between the gripper and the contact surfaces during manipulation. The seminar will conclude with future perspectives, including the study of grasping in wet environments.

Host: Francesco.