01
Manipulators
A manipulator is a serial or parallel mechanical system designed to position and orient an end-effector. Manipulators may perform assembly, welding, inspection, packaging, surgery, laboratory operations, or general object interaction.
02
Grasping
- Power grasps maximize mechanical stability.
- Precision grasps enable fine manipulation.
- Parallel-jaw grippers simplify many industrial tasks.
- Suction grippers exploit surface contact and pressure differences.
- Dexterous hands provide many degrees of freedom but substantially increase sensing and control complexity.
03
Contact-Rich Manipulation
Many tasks require contact with the environment: opening doors, inserting parts, turning handles, wiping surfaces, or manipulating deformable materials.
Contact introduces discontinuities and uncertainty that make purely geometric position control insufficient. Force sensing, compliant mechanisms, impedance control, and learned policies can improve performance.