{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,21]],"date-time":"2026-07-21T05:03:59Z","timestamp":1784610239357,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,21]],"date-time":"2026-07-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784592000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Robot. AI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In this study, we develop an innovative adhesion gripper capable of handling plate-like objects with various thicknesses without causing damage. The gripper combines an adhesion pad utilizing intermolecular forces and a variable-stiffness endoskeleton, allowing for precise adjustment of the pressing force during contact and the adhesion force while gripping an object. Central to its design is the fluid-driven and origami-structured endoskeleton that regulates contact and adhesion forces by controlling the fluid temperature. Furthermore, the gripper includes an outer frame which can be used for releasing the grasped objects by contracting the endoskeleton through fluid aspiration. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that the maximum contact force can be adjusted over a 27-fold range, while the adhesion force is tunable by up to a 12-fold variation. Notably, the ability to finely modulate the contact force facilitates the effective handling of thin plate components even on uneven surfaces. These results highlight the gripper\u2019s potential for applications that require the delicate and precise manipulation of fragile, thin objects.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/frobt.2026.1815258","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,21]],"date-time":"2026-07-21T04:19:47Z","timestamp":1784607587000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["IonPad adhesive gripper with variable-stiffness endoskeleton"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Yuno","family":"Takitani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, The University of Osaka","place":["Toyonaka, Japan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Keisuke","family":"Koyama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, The University of Osaka","place":["Toyonaka, Japan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Weiwei","family":"Wan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, The University of Osaka","place":["Toyonaka, Japan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kensuke","family":"Harada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, The University of Osaka","place":["Toyonaka, Japan"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1089\/soro.2020.0088","article-title":"Versatile soft robot gripper enabled by stiffness and adhesion tuning via thermoplastic composite","volume":"9","author":"Coulson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Soft Robot."},{"key":"B2","volume-title":"Ionpad Product Overview","year":"2024"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rcim.2006.11.002","article-title":"An end effector based on the bernoulli principle for handling sliced fruit and vegetables","volume":"24","author":"Davis","year":"2008","journal-title":"Robotics Computer-Integrated Manuf."},{"key":"B4","volume-title":"Viscoelastic Properties of Polymers 3rd Ed","author":"Ferry","year":"1980"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"903","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2018.2792688","article-title":"A soft robotic gripper with gecko-inspired adhesive","volume":"3","author":"Glick","year":"2018","journal-title":"IEEE Robotics Automation Lett."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5497","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2022.3158231","article-title":"Bimanual handling of deformable objects with hybrid adhesion","volume":"7","author":"Han","year":"2022","journal-title":"IEEE Robotics Automation Lett."},{"key":"B7","volume-title":"Intermolecular and Surface Forces 3rd Ed","author":"Israelachvili","year":"2011"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103846","DOI":"10.1016\/j.robot.2021.103846","article-title":"Bio-inspired origamic pouch motors with a high contraction ratio and enhanced force output","volume":"143","author":"Jiao","year":"2021","journal-title":"Robotics Aut. 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