Shape Reconstruction in a Planar Dynamic Environment

Abstract

We present a new method to reconstruct the shape of an unknown object using tactile sensors, without requiring object immobilization. Instead, sensing and nonprehensile manipulation occur simultaneously. The robot infers the shape, motion and center of mass of the object based on the motion of the contact points as measured by the tactile sensors. We present analytic results and simulation results assuming quasistatic dynamics. We prove that the shape and motion are observable in both the quasistatic and the fully dynamic case.