Grasp planning algorithm for a multifingered hand-arm robot

Provides a grasp planning algorithm for a multifingered hand-arm robot in the presence of obstacles. It is difficult to generate a grasp configuration for a multifingered hand-arm robot even though geometric information about an object and obstacles are all known, since a multifingered hand-arm robot has many degrees of freedom of motion. We don't give any information about a grasp position and a grasp shape of the hand in advance. Our grasp planning algorithm is composed of four steps. At the first step, we determine the grasp plane (GP) which includes contact points of fingertips. The feature of our grasp planning is to determine the GP according to the local structure of empty space around an object so that we generate the grasp configuration rapidly. In order to evaluate the structure of empty space around an object, we use a geodesic dome and distance transformation. After generation of the GP, we determine the contact point (CP) where the fingertip contacts an object surface. In the third step, we determine the wrist position (WP) where the hand grasps an object and the arm doesn't collide with obstacles. The actual grasp configuration of the multifingered hand-arm robot is generated based on the obtained CP and WP The effectiveness of our grasp planning algorithm is clarified by computer simulations with 3D graphics.