TRACZ - Testing Robotic Applications for Catching in Zero-g as the first step to research jamming phenomenon in the non-Earth conditions

Testing Robotic Applications for Catching in Zero-g isa fully autonomous mechatronic experiment, launched on March19, 2019, on board the REXUS rocket, during the 26th Campaignof the REXUS/BEXUS Programme. The main goal of theexperiment was to investigate the jamming phenomenon in thespace environment (microgravity and vacuum) as well as toconstruct a version of industry device known as jamming gripper,capable of operating in conditions where negative pressure(physical basis of operation in Earth-like conditions) cannot beobtained due to the presence of only a residual atmosphere. Thestructure was designed as 1-DOF manipulator, whose effector is anelastic membrane that stimulates jamming of ground coffeeparticles inside. During the suborbital flight, a series of catcheswere performed on a single object and the force with which theobject is held was measured. The results were compared with anon-ground experiment.</div