Comparative Peg-in-Hole Testing of a Force-Based Manipulation Controlled Robotic Hand

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Manufacturing Automation
• Control Systems

Background:

• Force-based manipulation is crucial for robotic fine assembly tasks.
• Systematic performance comparison is needed to advance robotic manipulation.
• The peg-in-hole task is a standard benchmark for fine manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Develop a standardized peg-in-hole test method with performance metrics.
• Demonstrate a new manipulation controller with a robotic hand for peg-in-hole tasks.
• Benchmark robotic insertion strategies using the developed test.

Main Methods:

• Created a peg-in-hole testbed with performance metrics and data analysis.
• Implemented and tested a novel compliant robotic hand controller.
• Compared a compliant hand/stiff arm system against a stiff gripper/compliant arm system.

Main Results:

• The novel robotic hand system matched or exceeded gripper system performance.
• Active control of the peg's pose reduced positional error sensitivity.
• Minimized insertion forces were observed with the hand system.

Conclusions:

• The developed peg-in-hole test enables systematic robotic manipulation benchmarking.
• Robotic hands with active control offer a viable solution for complex insertion tasks.
• Highly articulated and sensorized hands are key for advanced robotic manipulation.