Stochastic Entanglement of Deterministic Origami Tentacles For Universal Robotic Gripping
2026-04-29 • Robotics
Robotics
AI summaryⓘ
The authors created a soft robotic gripper inspired by origami that can pick up objects of many shapes using simple movements. Their design uses flat Mylar sheets folded and cut to make tentacle-like parts that coil and twist when pulled by a single tendon. When several tentacles work together, they naturally tangle around objects to hold them securely without complex control. The authors also made simulations and tested the gripper both in air and underwater, showing it can work even for uses like grabbing things in space. This work shows a simpler way to build flexible robot hands that can grip different objects reliably.
origami roboticstendon-driven actuationMylar sheetsmechanical deformationCosserat rod theoryobject graspingsoft roboticsstochastic entanglementrobotic grippersdynamic environments
Authors
Alec Boron, Bokun Zheng, Ziyang Zhou, Noel Naughton, Suyi Li
Abstract
Origami-inspired robotic grippers have shown promising potential for object manipulation tasks due to their compact volume and mechanical flexibility. However, robust capture of objects with random shapes in dynamic working environments often comes at the cost of additional actuation channels and control complexity. Here, we introduce a tendon-driven origami tentacle gripper capable of universal object gripping by exploiting a synergy between local, deterministic deformation programming and global, stochastic entanglements. Each origami tentacle is made by cutting thin Mylar sheets; It features carefully placed holes for routing an actuation tendon, origami creases for controlling the deformation, and a tapered shape. By tailoring these design features, one can prescribe the shrinking, bending, and twisting deformation, eventually creating deterministic coiling with a simple tendon pull. Then, when multiple coiling tentacles are placed in proximity, stochastic entanglement emerges, allowing the tentacles to braid, knot, and grip objects with random shapes. We derived a simulation model by integrating origami mechanics with Cosserat rods to correlate origami design, tendon deformation, and their collective gripping performance. Then, we experimentally tested how these coiling and entangling origami tentacles can grasp objects under gravity and in water. A stow-and-release deployment mechanism was also tested to simulate in-orbit grasping. Overall, the entertaining origami tentacle gripper presents a new strategy for robust object grasping with simple design and actuation.