(MIT CSAIL: Cambridge, MA) -- Tool use has long been a hallmark of human intelligence, as well as a practical problem to solve for a vast array of robotic applications. But machines are still wonky at exerting just the right amount of force to control tools not rigidly attached to their hands.

To manipulate said tools more robustly, researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), in collaboration with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), have designed a system that can grasp tools and apply the appropriate amount of force for a given task, like squeegeeing up liquid or writing out a word with a pen.

A soft bubble gripper grasps a squeegee with the right amount of force to wipe up a spilled liquid. Photo courtesy of MIT CSAIL.

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