Exploration of unknown object by active touch of robot hand

• Published in: International journal of control, automation, and systems Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 406 - 414
• Main Authors: Kim, Min Jeong, Choi, Mina, Kim, Yong Bum, Liu, Fengyi, Moon, Hyungpil, Koo, Ja Choon, Choi, Hyouk Ryeol
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bucheon / Seoul Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems and The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers 01.04.2014; Springer Nature B.V; 제어·로봇·시스템학회
• Subjects: Active control; Anthropomorphism; Automation; Control; Control algorithms; Curvature; Cylinders; Engineering; Friction; Geometry; Kinematics; Mathematical analysis; Mechatronics; Regular Papers; Robotics; Robots; Sensors; Statistical analysis; Torque; Touch; Tracking control systems; 제어계측공학; Active sensing; exploration; hand-arm system; force/torque sensor; curvature
• ISSN: 1598-6446; 2005-4092
• DOI: 10.1007/s12555-013-0328-x

This paper proposes a method of exploring the local shape of an unknown object using the force and torque information obtained from active touch. In the first, we present a method to estimate an unknown curvature, using rolling and sliding motion with a force/torque sensor attached to the fingertip of the hand. Then, the normal curvature equation from 2D curvatures is obtained. Finally we present a reconstruction algorithm of local geometry by using a normal curvature equation, which is composed of principal curvatures and principal directions. The method is tested by using a hand-arm system consisting of an industrial robot arm and an anthropomorphic robot hand with 6-axis force/torque sensor. The feasibility of the proposed method is experimentally validated for objects with simple geometries such as cylinder, spheres etc.