Reachable Grasps on a Polygon: The Convex Rope Algorithm - Robotics Institute Carnegie Mellon University

Reachable Grasps on a Polygon: The Convex Rope Algorithm

M. A. Peshkin and Arthur C. Sanderson
Tech. Report, CMU-RI-TR-85-06, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, April, 1985

Abstract

We describe an algorithm which finds the externally visible vertices of a polygon, and which generates the clockwise and counter-clockwise convex ropes of each one. The convex ropes give the range of angles from which each vertex is visible, and give all the pairs of vertices which are reachable by a straight robotic finger. All of the convex ropes can be found in expected time order n, where n is the number of vertices of the polygon. We discuss the application of this geometric constriction to automated grasp planning. The computational complexity of the grasp selection process can be substantially reduced by its use.

BibTeX

@techreport{Peshkin-1985-15235,
author = {M. A. Peshkin and Arthur C. Sanderson},
title = {Reachable Grasps on a Polygon: The Convex Rope Algorithm},
year = {1985},
month = {April},
institute = {Carnegie Mellon University},
address = {Pittsburgh, PA},
number = {CMU-RI-TR-85-06},
}