Robotic Hand with Wet Folding Function

Manipulation of flexible materials in wet conditions is one of the most difficult tasks in daily life and in factory automation. The technique of origami, in which water is applied to a flexible material such as paper or cloth to reduce unwanted wrinkles and create neat folds, is called wet folding. With this in mind, this study presents a robotic hand with wet folding function. For the purpose, the gripper has not only conventional antipodal grasping function but also the functions of pinching by nails, rolling, and water supply. The efficacy of the developed system is validated through several experiences.