Gripper

An end effector that grips objects by opening and closing its fingers — simpler than a dexterous hand.

A gripper is the most common end effector, using two or three fingers that open and close to hold an object. By actuation it's electric or pneumatic; by structure it can be parallel two-finger, three-finger, adaptive/underactuated (where the fingers passively conform to an object's shape), or soft; vacuum suction cups and magnetic grippers are sometimes grouped under the broader term “gripper” too. Its advantages are that it's cheap, reliable, and easy to control, usually needing only a single value — how far open it is — to represent its action, which is why most robot-learning datasets and VLA models are built around grippers. Its limitation is that it can't do fine, multi-finger-coordinated actions like twisting, rotating, or pressing a button, which is where a dexterous hand is needed instead.

ExampleThe Robotiq 2F-85 is a common two-finger adaptive electric gripper in both research and industry, with a maximum opening of 85 mm.

Also called

Mechanical Gripper, Robot Gripper

Related

End Effector · Parallel Jaw Gripper · Electric Gripper · Adaptive (Underactuated) Gripper · Dexterous Hand · Grasping

Sources

Robot end effector - Wikipedia