This group has been dissolved and the members have been assigned to other groups.

The Robotic Climbers and Grippers Group produces novel mechanisms and integrated robotic systems that interact with a wide range of environments. Designing for both highly structured and chaotic natural surfaces, and for locations ranging from asteroids and icy moons to Earth-orbiting satellites to cities, factories, and war-zones, our group employs iterative design principles to rapidly prototype, mature, and infuse systems for both NASA and non-NASA projects. We regularly collaborate with scientists, universities, companies, and other NASA centers. Specific areas of interest include:

• Mobility on rock, ice, and other natural terrains, including vertical and inverted surfaces.
• Autonomous climbing systems.
• Microgravity anchoring and mobility.
• Bioinspired adhesives, grippers, and robots.
• Field testing in Earth’s extreme terrain.
• Rapid prototyping techniques and equipment.