- End effector
"Other use:in Computer Graphics, an end effector is the position and orientation of the last joint in a chain of joints"
In robotics, an end effector is the device at the end of a
robotic arm, designed to interact with the environment. The exact nature of this device depends on the application of the robot.
This is a strict definition, which originates from serial robotic
manipulators . There the end effector means the last link (or end) of the robot. At this endpoint thetool s are attached. In a wider sense, an end effector can be seen as the part of a robot that interacts with the work environment. This does not refer to the wheels of amobile robot or the feet of ahumanoid robot which are also not end effectors - they are part of the robot's mobility.Examples
The end effector of an assembly line robot would typically be a
welding head , or apaint spray gun . Asurgical robot 's end effector could be ascalpel or others tools used in surgery. Other possible end effectors are machine tools, like adrill ormilling cutter s. The end effector on the space shuttle’s robotic arm uses a pattern of wires which close like theaperture of a camera around a handle or other grasping point.When referring to robotic prehension there are four general categories of robot gripper, these are:1. Impactive - jaws or claws which physically grasp by direct impact upon the object.2. Ingressive - pins, needles or hackles which physically penetrate the surface of the object (used in taxtile, carbon and glass fibre handling).3. Astrictive - suction forces applied to the objects surface (whether by vacuum, magneto or electroadhesion).4. Kontugutive - requiring direct contact for adhesion to take place (such as glue, surface tension or freezing). [Monkman. G.J., Hesse. S., Steinmann. R. & Schunk. H. Robot Grippers. Wiley. ISBN 978-3-527-40619-7]
See also
*
Grapple (tool)
*Hook
*Tongs
*Shadow Hand References
* Koren, Y. (1985). Robotics for engineers. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-035399-9
* Monkman. G.J., Hesse. S., Steinmann. R. & Schunk. H. Robot Grippers. Wiley. ISBN 978-3-527-40619-7
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