Abstract
Robotic manipulation of a bulky object is challenging due to the limited kinematics and payload of the manipulator. In this study, a robot realizes the manipulation of general-shaped bulky objects utilizing the contact with the environment. We propose a hierarchical manipulation planner that effectively combined three manipulation styles, namely, pivoting, tumbling, and regrasping. In our proposed method, we first generate a set of superimposed planar segments on the object surface to obtain an object pose in stable contact with the table, and a set of points on the object surface for the end-effectors (EEFs) of a dual-arm manipulator to stably grasp the object. Object manipulation can be realized by solving a graph, considering the kinematic constraints of pivoting and tumbling. For pivoting, we consider two supporting styles: stable support (SP) and unstable support (USP). Our proposed method manipulates large and heavy objects by selectively using the two different support styles of pivoting and tumbling according to the conditions on the table area. In addition, it can effectively avoid the limitation arising due to the arm kinematics by regrasping the object. We experimentally demonstrate that a dual-arm manipulator can move an object from the initial to goal position within a limited area on the table, avoiding obstacles placed on the table.
Highlights
Humans often manipulate large and heavy objects utilizing the contact of the object with environment
Pivoting gait has been explored for moving a simple box-shaped object [2,3]; this study aims to realize the robotic manipulation of a general-shaped object by combining pivoting, tumbling, and regrasping (Figure 2)
Utilizing the object’s contact with the environment, we realized the manipulation of a bulky object through pivoting, tumbling, and regrasping
Summary
Humans often manipulate large and heavy objects utilizing the contact of the object with environment. Robotic manipulation of general-shaped large and heavy objects is challenging, we aim to realize a robot manipulating such objects by effectively utilizing the contact of the object with a table (Figure 1). Among the manipulation styles using contact with a table, pivoting refers to the style of inclining and rotating an object on its vertex. Pivoting enables a robot to manipulate a bulky object with a relatively small manipulating force because the robot does not need to lift the object [1]. The pivoting gait, which is a manipulation style, enables a robot to move an object by pivoting it multiple times by changing its rotational vertex. To start the pivoting gait from the designated initial pose of the object, a robot may once tumble the object by rotating it on its edge
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