A toolbox for the analysis of the grasp stability of underactuated fingers

Abstract

In the design of humanoid robotic hands, it is important to evaluate the grasp stability, especially when the concept of underactuation is involved. The use of a number of degrees of actuation lower than the degrees of freedom has shown some advantages compared to conventional solutions in terms of adaptivity, compactness, ease of control, and cost-effectiveness. However, limited attention has been devoted to the analysis of grasp performance. Some specific issues that need to be further investigated are, for example, the impact of the geometry of the fingers and the objects to be grasped and the value of the driving mechanical torques applied to the phalanges. This research proposes a software toolbox that is aimed to support a user towards an optimal design of underactuated fingers that satisfies stable and efficient grasp constraints.