Real-Time Robust Finger Gaits Planning under Object Shape and Dynamics Uncertainties

TL;DR

This paper presents a dual-stage optimization planner for real-time, robust finger gaiting in dexterous manipulation, effectively handling uncertainties in object shape, dynamics, and contact slippage without relying on detailed object models or tactile sensors.

Contribution

It introduces a computationally efficient, model-free finger gaits planner combined with a robust manipulation controller to ensure stability under uncertainties and disturbances.

Findings

Successfully verified in Mujoco simulations.

Handles object shape and dynamics uncertainties.

Ensures stability despite contact slippage.

Abstract

Dexterous manipulation has broad applications in assembly lines, warehouses and agriculture. To perform large-scale manipulation tasks for various objects, a multi-fingered robotic hand sometimes has to sequentially adjust its grasping gestures, i.e. the finger gaits, to address the workspace limits and guarantee the object stability. However, realizing finger gaits planning in dexterous manipulation is challenging due to the complicated grasp quality metrics, uncertainties on object shapes and dynamics (mass and moment of inertia), and unexpected slippage under uncertain contact dynamics. In this paper, a dual-stage optimization based planner is proposed to handle these challenges. In the first stage, a velocity-level finger gaits planner is introduced by combining object grasp quality with hand manipulability. The proposed finger gaits planner is computationally efficient and realizes finger gaiting without 3D model of the object. In the second stage, a robust manipulation controller using robust control and force optimization is proposed to address object dynamics uncertainties and external disturbances. The dual-stage planner is able to guarantee stability under unexpected slippage caused by uncertain contact dynamics. Moreover, it does not require velocity measurement or expensive 3D/6D tactile sensors. The proposed dual-stage optimization based planner is verified by simulations on Mujoco.