New law of physics could improve grip in robotics

It can be difficult for engineers to account for the friction that occurs when robots grip objects, particularly in wet environments. 

This is due to elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), the friction that occurs when two solid surfaces come into contact with a thin layer of fluid between them. In humans, this friction occurs when fingertips are rubbed together, the fluid being the thin layer of naturally occurring oil on the skin.

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This could also apply to a robotic claw lifting an object that has been coated with oil, or to a surgical device being used inside the human body.

“Our work here opens the door to creating more reliable and functional haptic and robotic devices in applications such as telesurgery and manufacturing,” said Lilian Hsiao, assistant professor of chemical and bimolecular engineering at NCSU and co-author of a research paper published in Nature Materials.