Reach, grasp, and manipulate

This chapter seeks to identify principles that we can glean from nature regarding the design and operation of hands, and to show how they influence robotic hands and can improve their performance. The need to grasp and manipulate objects is faced by a wide range of animals, from insects to humans. The corresponding variety of solutions is immense, ranging from pincers to hands. However, a number of strategies appear repeatedly including the use of compliant, articulated appendages to achieve a large workspace and the use of automatic responses to tactile stimuli. Mobile robots face similar challenges and can exploit similar solutions. Numerical simulation is useful for analyzing hands that are required to grasp a range of objects and impart desired forces and motions. However, grasp simulation is inherently complex and the design search space is large. Hence, it is useful to examine natural exemplars to guide the design process.