Handle with care: Soft robot gripper picks ripe fruit without bruising

When assessing the ripeness of fruit, sight and smell can tell you a lot, but the best indicator is often how the fruit feels. Cornell researchers used stretchable fiber-optic sensors to create a soft robot gripper that can predict the ripeness of strawberries by touch, then gently twist them off their branch or vine without causing any damage. The technology, developed in the lab of Rob Shepherd, the John F. Carr Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Cornell Duffield College of Engineering, could lead to more resilient and ecological food production and increase the availability of fruit species that are difficult to cultivate. Shepherd's Organic Robotics Lab previously demonstrated the potential of stretchable fiber-optic sensors to give soft robotic systems the ability to feel the same dynamic, tactile sensations that enable humans to navigate the natural world. In recent years, the team has expanded into agriculture, designing a soft robotic gripper that injects living plant leaves with sensors that help it detect and communicate with its environment.