
Chapter
3
Manipulation
This chapter describes the control system for the onboard arm.
We rely on a series of reflexes to guide our robot. The set of
behaviors developed here allows the robot to acquire and retrieve
soda cans by groping around on supporting surfaces. The robot
starts by raising its hand to the top of the workspace, extending
the arm slightly, then bringing the hand straight down to find the
table. If the fingers touch a surface, they recoil and the hand
starts hopping along in search of a can. When the hand gets
near, local proximity sensors align the can and provide guidance
for the terminal grasping motions. Finally, the robo ...