12 accepted papers
Robotic manipulation tasks commonly rely on computer vision or tactile sensing to extract the physical characteristics of an object. However, this additional sensing capability adds complexity and financial cost to a robotic system. Our work investigates the inexpensive alternative of feature extrac
Generalizable algorithms for tactile sensing remain underexplored, primarily due to the diversity of sensor modalities. Recently, many methods for cross-sensor transfer between optical (vision-based) tactile sensors have been investigated, yet little work focus on non-optical tactile sensors. To add
Dexterous in-hand manipulation (IHM) for arbitrary objects is challenging due to the rich and subtle contact process. Variable-friction manipulation is an alternative approach to dexterity, previously demonstrating robust and versatile 2D IHM capabilities with only two single-joint fingers. However,
Robot grippers are widely used in industrial automation for pick-and-place tasks on a variety of objects. Whilst the majority of commercial grippers are capable of establishing stable grasps, few can perform in-hand-manipulation (IHM). IHM is has the potential to increase robotic motion efficiency,…
Fabricating existing and popular open-source adaptive robotic grippers commonly involves using multiple professional machines, purchasing a wide range of parts, and tedious, time-consuming assembly processes. This poses a significant barrier to entry for some robotics researchers and drives others t…
With the goal of providing an alternative to optical and other tactile sensors, we set out to stress test the object shape identification capabilities of barometric tactile arrays in robotic manipulation tasks. These sensors are superior to optical devices in terms of form factor, ease of fabricatio…
Robotic tactile sensing provides a method of recognizing objects and their properties where vision fails. Prior work on tactile perception in robotic manipulation has frequently focused on exploratory procedures (EPs). However, the also-human-inspired technique of in-hand-manipulation can glean rich…
Attempts to achieve robotic Within-Hand-Manipulation (WIHM) generally utilize either high-DOF robotic hands with elaborate sensing apparatus or multi-arm robotic systems. In prior work we presented a simple robot hand with variable friction robot fingers, which allow a low-complexity approach to wit…
In this paper we present a novel method of categorizing naturalistic human arm motions during activities of daily living using clustering techniques. While many current approaches attempt to define all arm motions using heuristic interpretation, or a combination of several abstract motion primitives…
The human hand is able to achieve an unparalleled diversity of manipulation actions. One contributor to this capability is the structure of the human finger pad, where soft internal tissue is surrounded by a layer of more rigid skin. This permits conforming of the finger pad around object contours f
This paper presents a minimalistic handheld haptic interface designed to provide pedestrian navigation assistance via the intuitive and unobtrusive stimulus of shape-changing. The new device, named the Haptic Taco, explores a novel region of robotic interfaces which we believe to have benefits over
In this paper we present a methodology for discriminating between different objects using only a single force closure grasp with an underactuated robot hand equipped with force sensors. The technique leverages the benefits of simple, adaptive robot grippers (which can grasp successfully without prio…