Syntouch L.L.C. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: The world is full of tools and objects for which the human hand seems ideally suited. Not

Description

The world is full of tools and objects for which the human hand seems ideally suited. Not only is the human hand a highly evolved solution to many difficult problems, but humans have fashioned a world of objects and tools suited to the strengths and weaknesses of our hands. Much of the emphasis on biomimetic design of robotic hands to date has concerned the mechanical linkages - the location and nature of rigid segments, articulations between them and linkages to actuators (corresponding to bones, joints and tendons, respectively). But such anthropomorphism is no guarantee of success; achieving functionality such as dexterous manipulation will require the addition of sensors and sensorimotor control algorithms, which should also benefit from biomimetic design. We have developed and validated a robust, biomimetic multimodal tactile sensing technology that contains all cutaneous sensory capabilities and has similar sensitivities and mechanical properties to the human fingertip. We will incorporate these sensing modules into a mechatronic anthropomorphic robot hand and develop software to perform exploratory behaviors and discriminate objects based on sensory feedback. This approach will guarantee a reduced-risk strategy by avoiding the unnecessary reproduction of decades worth of development currently available state-of-the-art anthropomorphic mechatronic hands.