Control experiments in planar manipulation and grasping

Many algorithms have been proposed in the literature for control of multifingered robot hands. Here, the performance of several of these algorithms is compared, along with that of some extensions of more conventional manipulator control laws, in the case of planar grasping. Based on experiments performed on Styx, the most effective control laws are the simple joint control law and the generalized computed torque law. The computed torque control law is shown to be an attractive alternative for position control of multifingered hands.