The geometry of whole-arm manipulation

This thesis establishes a framework for whole-arm manipulation (WAM) planning. Whole-arm manipulation is the manipulation of a single movable object by a coordinated system of manipulators.;The fundamental concept that we introduce is the notion of stability cells used for planning whole-arm manipulation tasks. Roughly speaking, stability cells (S-cells) are subsets of contact space for which an object can be held in stable equilibrium by the manipulator. Therefore, S-cells are subsets of contact space in which paths may be constructed that satisfy the quasistatic motion constraints at every point. Specifically, we introduce the concepts of frictionless first-order stability cells and second-order stability cells, and we extend those notions to include friction. Later, by generating an S-cell connectivity graph, WAM tasks can be planned by searching the graph.;As the execution of the whole-arm manipulation plan develops, the contact state between the workpiece and the manipulator system changes. The proper identification of the current contact state will greatly extend the range of motion plans that can be successfully executed. We develop a new approach to this problem.