Bio-inspired self-sensing suction cups for stable dynamic grasping

Existing robotic end-effector gripping technologies often encounter challenges such as poor adaptability to environmental changes, incomplete deformation sensing, and insufficient adhesion stability, which can compromise operational safety and reliability. Here, we present the bio-inspired self-sensing suction cup, in which the core self-sensing capability is achieved by combining high-performance, laser-induced graphene/Ag NWs flexible sensors with a Wheatstone bridge design. The flexible sensors provide high sensitivity, while the Wheatstone bridge circuit enables accurate and stable detection of deformation during the gripping process. Integrated into the octopus-inspired suction cup, this system allows for real-time monitoring of deformation and adsorption stability. The self-sensing suction cup demonstrates good performance across a 0–25 kPa negative pressure range, with outstanding linearity (R2 = 0.993) and high sensitivity (GF = 10.436 kPa−1). Experimental results confirm that the suction cup can achieve stable adsorption under varying loads and enable real-time monitoring of the suction cup status during the gripping process. This design provides a promising solution for intelligent gripping systems, logistics, and object recognition in challenging environments.