High-Speed Scooping through Dynamic Manipulation: Model and Practice
Hyeonje Cha, Inho Lee, Jungwon Seo
AI summary
Problem
Standard multi-fingered grippers struggle to grasp thin objects resting on hard surfaces due to limited reachability and reliance on friction, while suction-based alternatives are sensitive to surface conditions.
Approach
The authors propose a dynamic manipulation model for high-speed scooping and implement it with a custom direct-drive two-fingered gripper that uses reflex-based stiffness control to penetrate beneath objects and cage them in subsecond timeframes.
Key results
- Validated theoretical dynamics model for object penetration and rotation during impact
- Demonstrated reliable subsecond scooping of thin rigid and flexible objects
- Confirmed that lower attack angles and higher impact velocities improve penetration
- Showed swivel fingertips and impedance control enhance environmental adaptability
Why it matters
Provides a robust, high-speed alternative to suction grippers for automated handling of thin components in manufacturing and logistics.
Abstract
This study introduces a robotic high-speed scooping technique, an effective solution for rapidly picking thin objects from a hard support surface. High-speed scooping involves dy- namic and impactful manipulation using a two-fingered gripper. One digit dynamically penetrates beneath the object lying on a support surface while the other digit helps form a cage and subsequently secures a firm grip. This entire process is executed within a fractional-second time frame. We develop a theoretical model of manipulation for high-speed scooping and implement it using our custom direct-drive gripper designed for enhanced environment-adaptability. Extensive experiments verify the viability of our high-speed scooping approach.