CATCH - Comprehensive aerial transport via compliant handling

Written by Dr Surya Nurzaman, School of Engineering

CATCH is a compliant gripper designed to handle the issues of grasping from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is robust to positional errors, can take a variety of objects due to its compliance, and self-centres grasped objects to preserve UAV stability. The modularity of the gripper and intelligent servo actuator also allows hardware and software customisation for applications other than aerial grasping. In practice, a machine learning algorithm, part of artificial intelligence approaches, was developed to optimise these design and control features. CATCH is the world's first artificial intelligence-designed compliant aerial gripper to the best of my knowledge. Inaccuracies in positioning, ability to grasp various objects and perturbations to the UAVs are the many challenges to grasping from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). CATCH is a compliant gripper designed to handle the issues.

The modularity of the compliant gripper and intelligent servo actuator allow hardware and software customisation for various applications other than aerial grasping, such as the food or packaging industry. It is also low cost and locally built. Therefore, the expansion of the prototype into a final product impacts the local and international community. In general, soft robotics is the field that focuses on soft and compliant materials in robots. Those interested in knowing more can also visit my group's website and the IEEE Technical Committee on Soft Robotics' website. CATCH relies on the use of compliant materials and novel design. It is robust to positional errors, can handle a variety of objects, and self-centres grasped objects. The product won a Gold medal in Malaysia's 32nd International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX 2021).

We published the earlier design in a top robotics journal (ISI Q1). Meanwhile, we are currently preparing the article for publication in another journal for the latest design. We are also undergoing discussion with several industry players. The funding came from the government and received various supports from Monash University Malaysia.