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Updated: May 25, 2026

Behavioral Assessment of Manual Dexterity in Non-Human Primates
Published on: November 11, 2011
Classifying human manipulation behavior
Ian M Bullock1, Aaron M Dollar
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. ian.bullock@yale.edu
Abstract:
This paper presents a taxonomy for detailed classification of human and anthropomorphic manipulation behavior. This hand-centric, motion-centric taxonomy differentiates tasks based on criteria such as object contact, prehension, and the nature of object motion relative to a hand frame. A sub-classification of the most dexterous categories, within-hand manipulation, is also presented, based on the principal axis of object rotation or translation in the hand frame. Principles for categorizing complex, multi-faceted tasks are also presented, along with illustrative examples. We hope that the proposed taxonomy will both establish a standard language around human and anthropomorphic manipulation as well as enable improved understanding of the differences in hand use for a wide variety of behavior. Although designed for human and anthropomorphic hands, the taxonomy might easily be extended to a wide range of robot manipulators and end-effectors.
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