Development and preliminary testing of an instrumented object for force analysis during grasping.

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Biomechanics
• Sensor Technology
• Human-Robot Interaction

Background:

• Accurate measurement of forces during grasping is crucial for understanding object manipulation and preventing slips.
• Existing methods often lack integrated sensing capabilities for real-time force and slip detection.
• Developing instrumented objects can enhance the study of human and robotic grasping mechanics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and build a spherical instrumented object for tripod grasp force analysis.
• To integrate Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) sensors for normal force measurement and an accelerometer for slip detection.
• To validate the object's performance through comparison with ground truth, slip detection tests, and human subject trials.

Main Methods:

• A spherical object with three contact areas was constructed to facilitate tripod grasping.
• Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) sensors were embedded for normal force measurement.
• An integrated accelerometer and data acquisition board were utilized for slip detection and data logging.
• Validation involved comparing sensor data to ground truth, testing slip detection on varying surfaces, and human grasp trials.

Main Results:

• The instrumented object successfully measured normal forces during grasping, with validation against a ground truth.
• The embedded accelerometer demonstrated capability in detecting object slippage across different surface roughness values.
• Human subject trials indicated the object's practical utility and performance in evaluating grasp dynamics.

Conclusions:

• The developed instrumented object provides a viable platform for analyzing grasping forces and detecting slippage.
• Integrated FSR sensors and accelerometers offer a robust solution for real-time manipulation analysis.
• This tool can advance research in human and robotic grasping, contributing to safer and more effective manipulation strategies.