Work

Hybrid Robotic Gripper With Suction and Fully Retractable Claws for Tomato Picking

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Robotic grippers for agricultural applications encounter challenges in reliably grasping fruits of varying shapes, particularly in densely clustered environments such as tomato farms. To address these challenges, we propose a novel hybrid robotic gripper that combines a suction module with fully retractable adaptive claws. The gripper primarily utilizes suction to quickly attach to smooth tomato surfaces. When suction alone is insufficient, a linear actuator deploys flexible fingers to passively adjust to the shape of the fruit for stable grasping. The number and length of the fingers are optimized for the tomatoś shape. This retractable design minimizes interference during movement, making it suitable for dense crop environments. The claws were fabricated using 3D printing with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) which offers flexibility and repeatable deformation. To enhance grip performance, the claws are optimized for the tomato surface, enabling effective force distribution and adaptive deformation. The experimental results verified that the optimized finger structure provided stable and gentle grasping under various tomato shapes and conditions. Thus, the proposed gripper is a promising solution for robotic applications involving fruit inspection, sorting, and handling.

Source: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters

DOI: 10.1109/lra.2026.3723314

Authors: Minsu Lee, Hojoon Seo, WooSeong Shin, Jeongseok Choi, TaeWon Seo

Institution: Hanyang University

Language: English

Topic: Robot Manipulation and Learning

Subfield: Control and Systems Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,645