Page 18 - Concise Encyclopedia of Robotics

Active Chord Mechanism (ACM)
system to function at distances on the order of several meters. However,
audible signals can annoy people who must work around the machine.
Compare SONAR.
See also PRESENCE SENSING and PROXIMITY SENSING.
ACTIVE CHORD MECHANISM (ACM)
An active chord mechanism (ACM) is a robot gripper that conforms to the
shapes of irregular objects. An ACM is built something like the human
backbone. A typical ACM consists of numerous small, rigid structures
connected by hinges, as shown in the illustration.
Hinges

Rigid
sections
Active chord mechanism

The precision with which an ACM can conform to an irregular object
depends on the size and number of sections. The smaller the sections, the
greater is the precision. An ACM exerts uniform pressure all along its
length. This pressure can be increased or decreased, according to the
required task.
One application of ACMs is to position or arrange fragile objects
without damaging them. Another application is the picking of fruits
and vegetables.
See also ROBOT GRIPPER.

ACTIVE COOPERATION
See COOPERATION.

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