Gripper

  1. We’re going to build some circuits with the gripper. The gripper works by inserting a bellow into its body. When the bellow inflates, the gripper fingers close. When the bellow deflates, the gripper fingers open again.
  2. Build the breadboard setup.
  3. Turn on the pump. When you close the variable resistor, the air cannot vent to ground anymore, but has to go inside the gripper bellow, and thus the gripper fingers close.
  4. When you open the variable resistor again, the bellow deflates (vents to air) and the gripper fingers open.
  1. Now we’re going to add a button. That way, when you press the button, the gripper will close.
  2. When you release the button, the gripper will open (slowly).
  3. A fun challenge would be to operate the gripper with some transistors!