Contact-Aware Non-prehensile Manipulation for Object Retrieval in Cluttered Environments
Keywords: non-prehensile manipulation, contact-rich manipulation, manipulation planning, dexterous manipulation, planar pushing
TL;DR: This paper proposes a non-penhensile solution for the contact-rich task of manipulation in cluttered environments.
Abstract: Non-prehensile manipulation methods refer to manipulation without grasping (i.e., utilizing unilateral contacts). Compared to the grasping method, more compact and flexible end effectors can be applied, making it possible to perform tasks in a constrained workspace; As a trade-off, it has relatively few degrees of freedom (DoFs), resulting in an under-actuation problem with complex constraints for planning and control. This paper proposes a new non-prehensile manipulation method for the task of object retrieval in cluttered environments, using a rod-like pusher. Different from existing methods, the proposed approach is with the contact-aware feature, which enables the synthesized effect of active removal of obstacles, avoidance behavior, and switching contact face for improved dexterity. Hence both the feasibility and efficiency of the task are greatly promoted. The performance of the proposed method is validated in a planar object retrieval task, where the target object, surrounded by many fixed or movable obstacles, is manipulated and isolated. Simulation and experimental results are presented.
Submission Number: 14
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