Dynamic Scoop-And-Flick Manipulation for Rapid Non-Prehensile High-Arc Object Transfer

Abstract

This study presents dynamic scoop-and-flick manipulation, a robotic technique that achieves desired projectile motions of target objects through rapid, non-prehensile physical interactions. The method allows a robot to scoop objects resting on a surface and quickly launch them into projectile trajectories. We formulate a theoretical model of the technique and realize it through a hybrid approach that combines model-based reasoning and data-driven learning. The advantages—-namely, rapid and accurate pick-and-place with reduced planning complexity-—are validated in experiments conducted with a particularly challenging class of objects: low-profile items with small thickness.