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Instantaneous sliding block velocity of 1 m/s was derived based on [1]. In this paper the authors calculated the angular velocity your finger moves with respect to your thumb when you snap your fingers. This value was found to be on average roughly 24 rad/s, for an average human being. Therefore, the team did back calculations on a papera hypothetical robotic gripper to get a linear velocity on the drive rail from requiring the fingers on the hypothetical gripper to open at 24 rad/s. The linear velocity at the rail was found to be 1 m/s. This velocity was then used in our overall design.
Design Iterations
With the design constraints set, the team went to work brainstorming many ideas.
References
[1] R. Acharya, E. J. Challita, M. Ilton, and M. S. Bhamla, “The ultrafast snap of a finger is mediated by skin friction,” p. 12.