Nut Unfastening by Robotic Surface Exploration

In this paper, we present a novel concept and primary investigations regarding automated unfastening of hexagonal nuts by means surface exploration with compliant robot. contrast to the conventional industrial approaches that rely on custom-designed motorised tools mechanical tool changers, propose use robot fingers position, grasp unfasten unknown random-sized nuts, which are arbitrarily positioned in robot’s task space. Inspired how visually impaired people handle objects, work, information observed from devise strategy. It combines torque monitoring active compliance for smoothly explore object’s surface. We implement shape estimation technique combining scaled iterative closest point hypotrochoid approximation estimate location as well contour profile nut so accurately position gripper fingers. demonstrate work context dismantling an electrically driven vehicle battery pack. The experiments conducted using seven degrees freedom (DoF)–compliant fitted two-finger four different sized randomly nuts. obtained results suggest overall success rate 95% over average ten trials each nut.