Making Robots Soft

Under Construction

Note that this categorization is very approximate. If you have things to add let me know.

Using low feedback gains in the controller or passive compliance.

Usually combined with gravity compensation.

Passive (spring)

Bicchi

Using a wrist or ankle 6 axis force/torque sensor.

There is a huge literature on this.

Using joint or actuator torque sensing.

Robotics Research

DLR Lightweight Arm

Using padding or soft skin.

Skin, Hakozaki, Shinoda Lab

Ri-Man, RIKEN
article
article

CB2
article article

Maeno skin

Using contact sensing.

WENDY

Using non contact distance sensing to avoid collision.

Lumelsky

Using scaled structures.

Use small things (fingers) for small forces, and big things for big forces (arms).

Using soft structure.

Octor

Tufts
article
article

Deflatable haptic display

Wheels: Harai, Risumeikan
article
article

Not yet classified.

Pneumatic Hand

Paro: Seal robot

The hug, CMU

Anty
Anty press

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