International Journal of Frontiers in Engineering Technology, 2026, 8(2); doi: 10.25236/IJFET.2026.080203.
Wei'en Du
American Heritate High School, Delray Beach, USA
Marine debris cleanup demands grippers that can handle irregular, soft objects in unpredictable water conditions—tasks where conventional rigid designs often fail. This study presents a flexible pneumatic gripper featuring a circular multi-chamber structure made from high-modulus silicone, controlled through a modular constant-pressure system. The design adapts to various debris types, from plastic bottles to fishing nets, maintaining stable grasping under water flow disturbances. Experimental tests examined how pressure levels and chamber counts affect grip strength. Simulations using the Yeoh hyperelastic model helped optimize the silicone structure before prototyping. Results show the gripper achieves uniform deformation and reliable grasping in simulated ocean environments, offering a foundation for intelligent marine debris collection systems.
soft gripper; multi-chamber control; pneumatic actuation; marine debris; silicone material
Wei'en Du. Design and Analysis of a Flexible Multi-Chamber Silicone Pneumatic Expanding Gripper under Constant Pressure Control. International Journal of Frontiers in Engineering Technology (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 2: 14-21. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJFET.2026.080203.
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