Tape spring mechanisms and methods for deployable manipulation

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for grasping and manipulating objects are described. One example gripper device includes two or more tape spring structures, each tape spring structure comprising at least one tape spring, wherein the tape spring structures each have at least one fold region where the tape spring structure is folded back on itself, and a plurality of drive actuators coupled the two or more tape spring structures and configured to drive the tape spring structures such that a location of the fold region associated with each tape spring structure changes along a length of the tape spring structure or in space, wherein the two or more tape spring structures are spaced apart from one another other to allow an object to be grasped therebetween, and wherein driving of the two or more tape spring structures enables a rotation or a translation of the object while the object remains grasped.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.