Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 July 2019
Regrasping is a manipulation to alternate between grasp configurations of an object to perform different tasks. We address a regrasping problem termed longitude regrasping to reposition a gripper along an elongated object. We propose an algorithm using the dynamics of the arm and a non-dexterous gripper to perform the manipulation. Energy control is used to toss the object up and catch it under the goal position. Clipped Linear Quadratic Regulator control approach is then applied to the gripper jaws to control the friction force on the object and to let it slide to the final goal position. The object sliding within the gripper is modeled as a semi-active linear joint where only dissipative forces can be applied to it. A set of experiments validated the feasibility of the method.