Our grippers leverage the jamming phase transition of granular materials. As a granular material becomes more dense, the granular material jams together creating a material with the charateristics of a solid. Blowing air into the balloon, softens the balloon, allowing it to more easily conform to the target object. After pressing down on the object, the air is evacuated, enducing the jamming transition and creating the grip.
Different object shapes have very different grip dynamics and as a result very different grip strengths. Friction from pinching, entrapment, and vacuum suction are all possible grip forces.