Fingertip Contact Force Direction Control using Tactile Feedback

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method for controlling fingertip contact force direction using tactile feedback, aiming to enhance dexterous manipulation with robotic hands.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach for directing contact forces based on tactile sensing, addressing a gap in precise finger force control for manipulation.

Findings

Successful implementation on Allegro hand with tactile sensors

Effective control of contact force direction demonstrated

Discussion of potential improvements and future work

Abstract

The human hand is an immensely sophisticated tool adept at manipulating and grasping objects of unknown characteristics. Its capability lies in perceiving interaction dynamics through touch and adjusting contact force direction and magnitude to ensure successful manipulation. Despite advancements in control algorithms, sensing technologies, compliance integration, and ongoing research, precise finger force control for dexterous manipulation using tactile sensing remains relatively unexplored.In this work, we explore the challenges related to individual finger contact force control and propose a method for directing such forces perceived through tactile sensing. The proposed method is evaluated using an Allegro hand with Xela tactile sensors. Results are presented and discussed, alongside consideration for potential future improvements.