This end-effector is already at work in collaborative
robotics and agile manufacturing automation fields. The
Versaball is filled with sand-like material. When air pumps
into the ball, the ball softens. The robot then pushes the
ball against the object it will grasp. Removing the air from
the ball jams the material together, causing the ball to
harden around the object. See http://empire
robotics.com for additional details.
MagnebotiX — Maker of
Nano Robots
MagnebotiX develops magnetic manipulation systems,
including magnetic field generators and micromagnetic
agents. The MFG, or Magnetic Field Generating System, is
capable of generating a wide variety of static or varying
magnetic fields. Their RodBot is a wireless, mobile, rod-shaped microrobot that is guided and powered by an
externally applied magnetic field. Products such as the MFG-
100 use eight stationary electromagnets with ferromagnetic
cores to produce arbitrary magnetic fields and field
gradients at various frequencies.
The MFG-100-I is easily incorporated into an inverted
microscope system. Combined with high resolution optics,
the MFG-100-i enables the investigation of cellular
mechanics, as well as 5-DOF dexterous manipulation at tiny
scales, according to MagnebotiX. Learn more at
www.magnebotix.com.
Conclusion
These six impressive robots show promise for the future
and demonstrate varied robotics expertise. SV
A close-up of
MagnebotiX’s
RodBot.
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