Journal of Bionic Engineering ›› 2022, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (5): 1314-1333.doi: 10.1007/s42235-022-00202-3

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Optimization and Experimental Study of Bionic Compliant End-effector for Robotic Cherry Tomato Harvesting

Huaibei Xie1,2,3, Deyi Kong1,2,4, Qiong Wang1,2   

  1. 1 Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China  2 Science Island Branch of Graduate School, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China  3 School of Mechanical Engineering, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China  4 Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
  • 收稿日期:2021-08-25 修回日期:2022-03-22 接受日期:2022-04-08 出版日期:2022-09-10 发布日期:2022-09-23
  • 通讯作者: Deyi Kong E-mail:kongdy@iim.ac.cn
  • 作者简介:Huaibei Xie1,2,3, Deyi Kong1,2,4, Qiong Wang1,2

Optimization and Experimental Study of Bionic Compliant End-effector for Robotic Cherry Tomato Harvesting

Huaibei Xie1,2,3, Deyi Kong1,2,4, Qiong Wang1,2   

  1. 1 Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China  2 Science Island Branch of Graduate School, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China  3 School of Mechanical Engineering, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, China  4 Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
  • Received:2021-08-25 Revised:2022-03-22 Accepted:2022-04-08 Online:2022-09-10 Published:2022-09-23
  • Contact: Deyi Kong E-mail:kongdy@iim.ac.cn
  • About author:Huaibei Xie1,2,3, Deyi Kong1,2,4, Qiong Wang1,2

摘要: High harvesting success rate is part of the key technologies for robotic cherry tomato harvesting, which is closely related to the structural design of the end-effector. To obtain a high success rate of fruit harvesting, this paper presents a compliant end-effector with bio-inspired tarsus compliant gripper inspired by the structure and mechanics of the tarsal chain in the Serica orientalis Motschulsky. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Box Behnken Design (BBD) technique has been used to optimize the key structural parameters of the bionic compliant end-effector for achieving the expected results in pulling pattern for robotic cherry tomato harvesting. Experiments were designed by maintaining three levels of four process parameters—Length of the Offset Segment Tarsomere (OSTL), Angle of the Inclined Segment Tarsomere (ISTA), Thickness of the Extended Segment Tarsomere (ESTT) and Length of the Extended Segment Tarsomere (ESTL). According to the optimization analysis results, the best parameter combination is OSTL 23 mm, ISTA 14°, ESTT 5.0 mm, ESTL 23 mm. Besides, the harvesting performance of the optimized bionic compliant end-effector was verified by experiments. The results indicated the harvesting success rate of fruits with different equatorial diameters was not less than 76%.

关键词: Compliant end-efector , · Bio-inspired tarsus gripper , · Response surface , · Configuration optimization , · Cherry tomato , · Robotic harvesting

Abstract: High harvesting success rate is part of the key technologies for robotic cherry tomato harvesting, which is closely related to the structural design of the end-effector. To obtain a high success rate of fruit harvesting, this paper presents a compliant end-effector with bio-inspired tarsus compliant gripper inspired by the structure and mechanics of the tarsal chain in the Serica orientalis Motschulsky. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Box Behnken Design (BBD) technique has been used to optimize the key structural parameters of the bionic compliant end-effector for achieving the expected results in pulling pattern for robotic cherry tomato harvesting. Experiments were designed by maintaining three levels of four process parameters—Length of the Offset Segment Tarsomere (OSTL), Angle of the Inclined Segment Tarsomere (ISTA), Thickness of the Extended Segment Tarsomere (ESTT) and Length of the Extended Segment Tarsomere (ESTL). According to the optimization analysis results, the best parameter combination is OSTL 23 mm, ISTA 14°, ESTT 5.0 mm, ESTL 23 mm. Besides, the harvesting performance of the optimized bionic compliant end-effector was verified by experiments. The results indicated the harvesting success rate of fruits with different equatorial diameters was not less than 76%.

Key words: Compliant end-efector , · Bio-inspired tarsus gripper , · Response surface , · Configuration optimization , · Cherry tomato , · Robotic harvesting