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A new soft, silent, and fully electric gripping technology capable of operating without pumps or external vacuum systems.

Vacuum suction cups are among the most widely used solutions in robotics and industrial automation. Simple, reliable, and versatile, they nevertheless require pumps, tubing, valves, and pneumatic infrastructure that are often bulky, noisy, and characterized by high energy consumption.

To overcome these limitations, Omnigrasp has contributed to the development of a new approach to robotic grasping: electroadhesion suction cups, presented in the scientific paper Electroadhesion Suction Cups, published in the prestigious international journal Advanced Materials.

This technology combines the principles of electroadhesion with passive vacuum generation, resulting in soft, compact, silent, and fully electric grippers capable of operating without external pumps or vacuum generators.

Just 1.5 W to grip objects weighing up to 1.5 kg

The new electroadhesion suction cups consume only 1.5 W of power and can grip objects weighing up to 1.5 kg, adapting to surfaces that are:

At the core of the device is a thin, soft membrane with integrated electrodes. When an electrical voltage is applied, electrostatic forces progressively cause the membrane to adhere to the object’s surface.

Thanks to its deformability, the membrane conforms to the geometry of the component, increases the contact area, and creates a passive vacuum chamber during lifting. The combination of electroadhesion and negative pressure generates a strong gripping force while maintaining extremely low power consumption.

To release the object, it is sufficient to switch off the voltage; detachment can be further accelerated through a small valve that breaks the vacuum created inside the suction cup.

Toward more compact and efficient robotics

By eliminating the need for pumps, compressors, tubing, and pneumatic systems, this technology enables the design of lighter, simpler, and more easily integrated end-effectors.

Electroadhesion suction cups can unlock new possibilities across numerous applications, including:

The reduction in energy consumption and required infrastructure makes this solution particularly attractive for mobile robots and applications where compactness, quiet operation, and autonomy are essential requirements.

Research born from collaboration between industry and academia

The work was carried out by Fabio Caruso, Herbert Shea, and Vito Cacucciolo through a collaboration between Omnigrasp, the Soft Transducers Laboratory (LMTS) at EPFL, and the RoboPhysicsLab at the Polytechnic University of Bari.

The publication represents an important milestone in Omnigrasp’s research and development journey and confirms the value of collaboration between industry and academia in creating more sustainable, efficient, and versatile gripping technologies.

With electroadhesion suction cups, Omnigrasp continues to rethink how robots interact with objects, transforming electrostatic adhesion into a practical new solution for the robotics of the future.

The RoboPhysicsLab team from the Polytechnic University of Bari wins first place in the competition dedicated to the robotic harvesting of delicate fruits.

From April 7 to 11, 2026, the city of Kanazawa, Japan, hosted the ninth edition of the IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics – RoboSoft 2026, one of the world’s leading international events dedicated to soft robotics and its real-world applications.

Omnigrasp supported and sponsored the participation of the Chill Group, the RoboPhysicsLab team from the Polytechnic University of Bari, which won first place in the “Harvesting of Delicate Ripe Fruits Competition” with its Chill Gripper project.

The competition challenged participants to design and control a robotic system capable of harvesting extremely delicate ripe fruits, replicating one of the most demanding tasks in agricultural robotics: grasping, detaching, and placing small fruits without causing damage. The challenge was designed to highlight the key strengths of soft robotics, including adaptability, compliance, gentle interaction, and the ability to operate in real-world environments.

Thanks to a system-level optimization approach, a gripper made from flexible materials, and a hybrid control strategy, the team successfully harvested every fruit required in the challenge, achieving an outstanding score of 238 out of 264, close to the maximum possible.

The winning team consisted of students Elisabetta Annese, Giuseppe Macchia, and Luca Mitaritonna, led by team leader Angelo Catalano. The project originated as part of the Mechatronics course within the Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Bari, taught by Professor Vito Cacucciolo, and was later refined through extensive design, prototyping, and experimental testing.

Omnigrasp supported the team throughout the preparation phase by providing technical expertise and engineering support. Special thanks go to Antonio Camposeo and Fabio Gargano, who contributed to the hardware development, system integration, and control of the robotic platform.

This achievement represents far more than a competition victory: it demonstrates the value of collaboration between academia, research, and industry, and confirms how multidisciplinary expertise, hands-on experimentation, and adaptability can transform an academic project into a practical and internationally competitive robotic solution.

Congratulations to the entire Chill Group on this outstanding achievement!

From June 2 to 4, 2026, Omnigrasp participated as a sponsor of the 14th edition of EuroEAP, the International Conference on Soft Transducers and Electromechanically Active Polymers, held at EPFL’s Neuchâtel campus in Switzerland.

EuroEAP is one of the leading international conferences dedicated to smart materials, soft transducers, and soft robotics. Each year, it brings together researchers, companies, and innovators from around the world, fostering scientific exchange, collaboration, and the transfer of technologies from research to industrial applications.

Sponsoring the event reflects Omnigrasp’s commitment to supporting the scientific community and advancing more efficient, adaptable, and sustainable robotic solutions. This commitment is rooted in research and translated into technologies designed to address the real needs of industrial automation.

During the Industry Talks session, Vito Cacucciolo, Founder and CEO of Omnigrasp, delivered the presentation:

“Vacuum-Free Suction Cups for Energy-Efficient Pick-and-Place Using Electroadhesion”

The presentation highlighted Omnigrasp’s journey in developing electroadhesive suction cups for pick-and-place applications, designed to operate without vacuum generation systems while consuming less than 5% of the energy required by conventional pneumatic solutions. It also explored the challenges of transforming a laboratory technology into a reliable, scalable, and market-ready product.

Participating in and sponsoring EuroEAP 2026 was an important opportunity to share experiences, meet leading international experts, and exchange ideas on the latest advances in soft robotics and electroactive materials.

We would like to thank the EuroEAP Society, EPFL, and all the event organizers for creating a forum that successfully brought together scientific research and industrial innovation.

Omnigrasp will continue to invest in simpler, smarter, and more efficient gripping technologies, helping shape the next generation of automation systems.

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