Inter-finger Small Object Manipulation with DenseTact Optical Tactile Sensor

TL;DR

This paper presents a tactile sensing and control system using DenseTact 2.0 for small object manipulation, achieving high success rates in grasping and classification in cluttered environments.

Contribution

Introduces a novel tactile-based manipulation system with a new dataset and control algorithm for small objects using DenseTact 2.0.

Findings

88% grasp success rate for small objects

Effective classification of objects based on tactile data

Improved manipulation in cluttered scenarios

Abstract

The ability to grasp and manipulate small objects in cluttered environments remains a significant challenge. This paper introduces a novel approach that utilizes a tactile sensor-equipped gripper with eight degrees of freedom to overcome these limitations. We employ DenseTact 2.0 for the gripper, enabling precise control and improved grasp success rates, particularly for small objects ranging from 5mm to 25mm. Our integrated strategy incorporates the robot arm, gripper, and sensor to manipulate and orient small objects for subsequent classification effectively. We contribute a specialized dataset designed for classifying these objects based on tactile sensor output and a new control algorithm for in-hand orientation tasks. Our system demonstrates 88% of successful grasp and successfully classified small objects in cluttered scenarios.