Bio-inspired deployable cable-driven origami gripper with variable finger length for space capture

Origami-inspired designs are offering innovative solutions to many challenges in space technology. Bio-inspired origami grippers have garnered increasing attention for safe and versatile grasping tasks due to their lightweight, compliant, and adaptable properties. In this paper, we introduce a cable-driven origami gripper that is extendable, bendable, and possesses a high contraction ratio. Specifically, we propose two origami finger configurations—convex and concave—through innovative crease patterns. Based on the geometric design of the convex configuration, we establish the kinematic model of the origami finger. The kinematic characteristics of the origami finger's deployment and bending process are systematically analyzed and verified through simulation. By introducing virtual creases within the deformation surfaces, the origami gripper is demonstrated to be bistable. The gripper remains stable after being fully deployed, which is essential for its bending behavior. To verify its grasping ability, a physical model of the origami gripper was designed and fabricated, and key experimental work was conducted. The results indicate that the bending process of the cable-driven origami fingers involves a layer-by-layer folding behavior starting from the bottom. The origami gripper exhibits a large grasping range and excellent grasping ability, demonstrating the design's feasibility and practicality.