Issues in human/computer control of dexterous remote hands

Much research on dexterous robot hands has been aimed at the design and control problems associated with their autonomous operation, while relatively little research has addressed the problem of direct human control. It is likely that these two modes can be combined in a complementary manner yielding more capability than either alone could provide. While many of the issues in mixed computer/human control of dexterous hands parallel those found in supervisory control of traditional remote manipulators, the unique geometry and capabilities of dexterous hands pose many new problems. Among these are the control of redundant degrees of freedom, grasp stabilization and specification of non-anthropomorphic behavior. An overview is given of progress made at the MIT AI Laboratory in control of the Salisbury 3 finger hand, including experiments in grasp planning and manipulation via controlled slip. It is also suggested how we might introduce human control into the process at a variety of functional levels.