Dynamic Manipulation of a Flexible Rope using a High-speed Robot Arm

摘要

The purpose of this study is to perform a dynamic manipulation of a linear flexible object. As examples of the dynamic manipulation, shape controls and a dynamic knotting of a flexible rope are achieved by a high-speed robot arm. First, an entirely new strategy for dynamic manipulation of the flexible rope with the high-speed robot is introduced. The strategy is to manipulate the flexible rope with a high-speed motion. Moving the robot at high-speed, we assume that a dynamic deformation of the flexible rope can be obtained through algebraic calculations based on the robot motion. Based on this assumption, we propose a discrete deformation model of the flexible rope. As a result, we can obtain the robot trajectory from the desired rope configuration using the proposed model. Moreover, we discuss the validity of the proposed model based on the equation of motion of the flexible rope. Next, simulation results and experimental results of shape controls (rectangle and circle) are described. Finally, simulation result and experimental result of the dynamic knotting using a high-speed robot arm are shown as one application of the proposed method.