A Non-Energized Robotic Hand Using Locking Mechanism and Silicone Belts for Grasping Heavy Agricultural Products

This paper presents a robotic hand that utilizes both a locking mechanism and the elasticity of silicone belts to handle heavy agricultural products, such as radishes, address- ing the labor shortage in fruit selection facilities caused by the declining birthrate and aging population. When grasping heavy agricultural products, significant force and stability are required to securely lift and transport the product. The proposed robotic hand combines a locking mechanism with the inherent elastic force of silicone belts, eliminating the need for active actuators such as motors or air compressors. The locking mechanism is embedded within the joints of the hand, allowing it to open and close through the combined effect of the silicone belts’ elasticity and interaction with the environment. First, the effectiveness of this combined approach was validated through experiments involving the handling of heavy vegeta- bles, including radishes and other similarly weighted objects. Next, the characteristics of the selected silicone material were measured, analyzed, and incorporated into the design. Finally, grasping experiments were conducted using the proposed hand, which leverages both the locking mechanism and the elasticity of silicone belts. The results indicate that the proposed robotic hand, which integrates both a locking mechanism and silicone belts, can reliably and stably grasp heavy agricultural products.