NASA Ts Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
A proposed robot hand would include thumblike members on its left and right sides and a fingerlike member at its middle. This configuration of digits would enable the hand to adapt to variously shaped objects, to grasp them robustly and reliably, and to manipubte them. It would also reduce the complexity of the control mechanisms and provide kinesthetic perception of the shapes of grasped objects. Each thumb would have three rotational axes at its base joints and one rotational axis at each of its two other joints (see figure). The middle finger would have two rotational axes at its base joints and one rotational axis at each of its two other joints. A dc-motor-and-gear assembly would rotate the thumb about the z-axis base joint to switch the whole thumb between upward-facing and downward-facing positions (this motion would not be provided for the middle finger). Another dc-motor-and-gear-assembly would ro- tate the thumb or the center finger about the x-axis of the base joint, enabling adjustment of the yaw angle of the thumb or finger. A dc-motor-and-tendon connection would rotate a thumb or the middle flnger about the y-axis of the base and other joints to control pitch angles and bending. Overall, the hand would have 14 joints controlled by eight motors: three motors for the yaw angles of the three members, two for the roll angles of the two thumbs, and three for bending the three members. In a limited sense, the new hand could be considered anthropomorphic. It could be configured as part of a simulated human right or left hand or as overlapping parts of left and right hands. It could perform a wide range of grasping and manipulating motions. Moreover, the two thumbs would give the hand a mechanical symmetry and balance well suited to handling objects in industrial tasks.
Point of Contact:
Sukhan Lee
Mail Stop 198-219
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
818-354-2013
Sukhan.Lee@jpl.nasa.gov
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Last updated: May 10, 1996