We are actually aiming for a new type of automation that breaks the
limits of the factory.
Nowadays, robots are primarily automated in the factory.
Typical manoeuvrability tasks are performed on the machines.
Or is it about placing the parts quickly in short periods of time?
What we see and think about is automation that leaves these limits of
the factory.
For example, when it comes to assistance tasks.
Assistance tasks mean that the worker is supported, for example, by
robot functions.
He works hand-in-hand with the device.
That means, for example, a worker sets up a process.
That means, for example, the screw-in is prepared, but the actual
procedure is carried out by the robot at the end.
So this is an assistance.
The person saves time, but does the demanding things first at the
beginning.
And that's exactly how you can imagine that the robot performs
assistance tasks when performing or testing any workpieces or tools,
which have to be done regularly with high precision and where human
errors should be eliminated as much as possible.
And these are the ideas that we pursue here.
I see you also have a grip attachment in your hand.
Exactly.
Is that part of it?
That is well recognized.
It goes with it.
This is a grip hand.
In contrast to the grippers you see here on the robot, they are
characterized by the function of parallel fingers.
That means, two fingers drive parallel to each other and grab the
objects.
This is the typical task setting as it occurs in the industry.
But if I want to have assistance tasks or, for example, want to use
the robot in the human environment, let's say in the hospital, in the
nursing home, at home, then of course the robot also has to cope with
the conditions accordingly.
For example, it has to be able to grab door handles, window handles,
drawers and such things.
And it can't do that with an ordinary industrial gripper, but the grip
function has to be a bit more complicated.
That's why we're thinking about how the grip can be for the future.
I'll hold it in front of the camera.
As you can see, the hand consists of three fingers.
Each of these fingers has two joints.
So similar to how it is with us humans.
The joints can be controlled individually.
In addition, it is possible that these two fingers oppose each other.
That means they are twisted against each other.
Then you also have the possibility to grab precise parts here.
Otherwise, it is also possible to grab large parts, cylindrical or
cubical parts with this hand.
It fits directly on the robot via this interface here and can be
operated there.
The special feature of this development is that it is equipped with
tactile sensor surfaces.
This means that these surfaces can capture the pressure in a matrix in
several places, which is then practiced.
This allows you to detect contours of the object, workpiece or door
handle.
And you can also determine whether it was grabbed optimally.
So it's very similar to how we humans do it.
We first look at an object to be grasped with our eyes, then we grasp
the position.
But when it comes to really grasping the object, we use our tactile
skills for this.
For this, we need our five-finger hand.
But we have found that three fingers would be sufficient for what the
robot needs.
This development has, by the way, been carried out together with the
KIT.
So we cooperated there and made this great development together.