Gripper and Hand Taxonomy: How End Effectors Are Classified for Robot Manipulation

End effectors are the terminal devices mounted on a robot manipulator that connect the robot to its environment and determine what tasks it can perform. The article explains that the same arm can become a welding, logistics, or dexterous service robot depending on the end effector attached. End effectors are commonly classified by function, such as grasping, process, inspection and sensing, and tool-handling types. They can also be grouped by grasping principle, including mechanical, vacuum, magnetic, adhesive, soft, and jamming methods, as well as by mechanical structure like parallel-jaw, angular, and three-finger designs. The piece presents this taxonomy as the foundational step for understanding robot hand, gripper, and manipulation technologies.
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