Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
4 SoftReach Arm
Jinwen Wang
Junyi Chen
Ruxi Deng
Zhian Xie
 design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
other1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
 Shi Ye
# SoftReach Arm

SoftReach Arm is a robotic system that combines **vision-based object detection** with a **soft manipulator** for object grasping.

## Project Goal

The goal of this project is to evaluate the benefits of **compliance** in robotic manipulation, particularly when dealing with uncertainty in:

- object pose
- object geometry

By integrating visual perception with a compliant soft arm, the system aims to improve robustness and adaptability during grasping tasks.

## Actuation Method

The soft manipulator will be driven by **pneumatic actuation**. Pneumatic systems can generate fast and large deformations while maintaining a relatively simple structure, making them suitable for **soft robotic manipulation**.

In addition, pneumatic actuation is convenient to implement within a **short-term capstone project**, allowing the system to be built and tested efficiently.

RFI Detector

Featured Project

Problem Statement:

Radio frequency interference from cell phones disrupts measurements at the radio observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Many visitors do not comply when asked to turn their phones off or put them in airplane mode.

Description:

We are planning to design a handheld device that will be able to detect radio frequency interference from cell phones from approximately one meter away. This will allow someone to determine if a phone has been turned off or is in airplane mode.

The device will feature an RF front end consisting of antennas, filters, and matching networks. Multiple receiver chains may be used for different bands if necessary. They will feed into a detection circuit that will determine if the power within a given band is above a certain threshold. This information will be sent to a microcontroller that will provide visual/audible user feedback.