I pushed the fingertip circuit boards to their minimum assembled thickness (an important parameter for grippers) using a combination of off-the-shelf connector components and creative redesigns of the soft silicone cover. I helped move the company towards injection-moldability by introducing a prototype overmold to join the plastic and silicone parts of the design. I expanded the sensitive surface area of the sensor, made the electrical connections more robust, and manufactured dozens of sensors for use in evaluation kits which were also outfitted with spare parts and instructions.

I designed and assembled a gripper adapter wrist with our electrical engineers which connected the two fingertips to each other, as well as to a controlling arm (in this case, a Universal Robotics UR5). This allowed the team to close the feedback loop and grip challenging objects which were delicate or flexible or both. I wrote SOPs for the assembly of both the fingertips and the wrist adapter for future use by employees of the company.

I also updated the company website to reflect progress made in the design and capabilities of the product. I am very happy with the final look of the product line that I was responsible for, and enjoyed getting exposure to industrial-style panel-mounted cable connections.