Self-sealing suction cups show promise for future robots

Robots have a hard time doing a lot of things we don't even need to think twice about. Take operating a valve, for example. A robot needs to be specifically designed to grasp and rotate a valve, and that design usually won't be suitable for operating a valve of a different size. Well, scientists at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and Edgewood Chemical Biological Center appear to have a solution, suction cups.

Now, suction cups aren't new to robotics, they've been in use for over 50 years. What's exciting about the technology now is self-sealing suction cup technology, which means each individual suction cup can actuate based on the object the robot wants to pick up.

This new technology involves a plug that sits in the suction inlet. When the pump (the source of the suction) is activated, the plug of any cup that isn't in contact with an object gets sucked in to prevent any leaks. This creates a larger different in pressure between the inside of the suction cup and the outside, strengthening the suction capability of the cups that are actually on an object. The design also makes use of passive reaction forces that cause the cup to activate and open when the lip contacts an object, breaking the seal to initiate suction.

In short, the new suction cup technology means robots equipped with these self-sealing suction cups are capable of picking up and manipulating a wider variety of objects in a wider variety of environments (the technology is well suited for use underwater as well as on land). Of course, the technology is still in its infancy, but it is proving to be extremely effective. Just four fingertip sized cups can lift a bottle of wine securely.

Robots are not only capable of going more places now, but they will be able to interact with the environment in meaningful ways and even operate tools in just a short time. The technology is intended to be used in emergency and disaster response situations, but it's entirely possible this technology will enable robots to be used in any dangerous task that requires simple object manipulation. Why send a person when a robot can do the same job without risk of getting hurt?