MIT scientists taught robots to apply “as much force as needed” (VIDEO)   

Developing the new SEED platform

As simple as some daily routines may seem to humans, automating with robots remains a complex affair, since engineers must attend to the smallest detail of their operation. For example, a human wouldn’t even think to pick up a screwdriver, but a robot with metal or plastic, hard edges would have a hard time doing the same. 

Now, researchers from MIT have decided to solve this problem by creating a platform so that robots can more easily perform processes that humans do almost naturally. Going into detail, the researchers developed a new soft robotics platform that allows robots to grasp objects, such as tools, by applying “as much force as necessary.”  

We are talking about the Series Elastic End Effectors (SEED) which utilizes built-in cameras and soft “bubbles” like handles, which can be precisely deformed. Everything the robot senses is presented in real time, with a 3D visualization that changes shape around the specific object being used. In fact, there are also learning algorithms, which means that every experience can be used for even better results in the future. 

In this way, SEED enables robots to successfully move objects with great freedom. That is, they can move a tool they are holding back and forth, up or down, left or right, roll it, spin it, and give it a call. Using the platform, the researchers demonstrated a robot that could drive a screw with the correct torque, grip a squeegee to clean a surface, and write with a marker. 

Of course, the scientific team still has a long way to go, since SEED in its current form can only handle tools with a specific geometry, namely cylindrical ones. With future improvements may come support for other schemas, so that a bot can leverage even more tools.