Hardware

Adaptive Gripper

An adaptive gripper is an end effector whose fingers passively conform to the shape of the grasped object, typically via underactuated linkages, tendons, or compliant materials that distribute contact forces without requiring per-joint control. Designs like the Robotiq 2F series and soft pneumatic grippers can secure a wide range of object geometries with a single close command. This mechanical intelligence trades precise fingertip control for robustness and simplicity.

Why it matters for physical AI

Passive conformity absorbs perception and policy errors at the moment of contact, letting learned grasping systems succeed with centimeter-level pose estimates that would defeat a rigid parallel-jaw gripper.