Soft gripping, in which the gripper adapts to differently shaped objects, is in great demand for use in unknown or dynamically changing environments and is one of the main research subjects in soft robotics. Several systems have already been created, one of which is a passive shape-adaptable finger based on the FinRay effect. The geometric shape of this finger ensures that the finger wraps around the object it grips. FinRay fingers have been studied in several studies, which have changed the internal structure and examined how gripping force’s dependence on finger deformation changes. So far, however, no specific way has been determined to evaluate the proposed finger regarding its ability to wrap around the object. This work comes up with a new and simple method to evaluate the finger’s wrapping around the object mathematically. Based on this evaluation method, several different patterns of the internal structure of FinRay fingers were tested. The fingers were first tested in a simulation program, which simulated a steel roller indentation with a diameter of 20 mm in the middle of the finger’s contact surface. Based on the simulation results, selected types of structure were made by the Fused Filament Fabrication method from a flexible filament and tested on a real test rig to verify the results of the simulation and compare it with the real behaviour. According to the methodology used, the results show that the most suitable structure of the selected tested fingers from the point of view of wrapping the finger around the object is a structure without internal filling. Designers can simply use the new evaluation method to compare their designed finger variants and select the most suitable one according to the ability to wrap around the gripped object. They can also use graphs from this work’s results and determine the finger’s dimensions without internal filling according to the required forces and deflection.

Design methods have been improving with an increasing level of algorithmic support for some time. The most recent advances include generative design and various optimization methods. However, the automated design tools are often focused on a single stage of the design process, for example, kinematics design, mechanical topology, or drive selection. In this paper, we show the whole design process of a robotic manipulator in an automated workflow. The method consisted of two main parts: a genetic optimization of the kinematic structure and an iterative automated CAD design. The method was then applied to a case study in which a manipulator with five degrees of freedom for a handling task was designed.

This study proposes a new approach to improving laser sensor data collection through optimised sensor settings. Specifically, it examines the influence of laser sensor configurations on laser scanning measurements obtained by using a laser line triangulation sensor for transparent and non-transparent plastics, as well as aluminium alloys. Distance data were acquired with a three-degree-of-freedom positioning device and the laser sensor under both manual and automatic settings. Measurements were performed at the sensor’s reference distance and across a wide range of positional configurations. The results of extensive experimental tests highlight optimal sensor configurations for various materials and sensor orientations relative to the scanned surface, including both in-plane and out-of-plane angles, to enhance the reliability and accuracy of distance data collection.

The design and selection of a suitable drive unit for use in mechatronic systems is a process that can be demanding not only in terms of the time required but also in terms of the demands placed on the knowledge and experience of development workers. The development aimed to create algorithms for the selection of compact electric power units based on data from dynamic analyses of the proposed system, with the help of which it would be possible to shorten and simplify the drive unit selection process significantly. The result of the development is a software tool called DrivePicker. Its functions and benefits are demonstrated in the design of drive units for a robotic arm with an angular structure and 5 degrees of freedom. Comparing selected units from two manufacturers (Spinea DS and HarmonicDrive CanisDrive) shows that by using this software tool, we can significantly speed up and streamline the design of mechatronic devices. DrivePicker also has an interface for connection to simulation and CAD systems, which opens up the possibility of further autonomy.

The design of robotic arms is a demanding process, especially in terms of the demands placed on developers' knowledge and experience and the time required for the design. Therefore, the development aimed to create procedures for possible automation of some of the individual tasks of the robotic arm design process, which are further applied in the development of a software tool for the automation of partial tasks in the design of robotic arms RobotDesigner. The benefits and functions of RobotDesigner are demonstrated in the example of optimization of a simple manipulator with 5 degrees of freedom for a given manipulation task. The optimization results show that the use of this software tool significantly speeds up and streamlines the sub-tasks of design and optimization of arms. By using iterative processes and artificial intelligence, using similar software tools and connecting them to CAD systems, it will not only be possible in the future to fully automate the robot arm design process but also to generate and compare different structures and design solutions to find the most optimal for the task, which the robot will perform.