Kinematics and Configuration Analysis of a Five-fingered Metamorphic Robot Hand

This research presents a novel metamorphic multi-fingered robotic hand, characterized by its innovative reconfigurable palm structure. The robotic hand's distinctive design incorporates a closed-loop series palm structure in conjunction with bilaterally movable fingers, markedly augmenting its orientation and pose flexibility. This enhancement substantially broadens the operational workspace of the robotic fingers. The paper initially details the structure of the Metamorphic hand, comprising an articulated palm and five fingers. It delves into the design parameters of the Metamorphic hand's hybrid structure and unveils analytical models for both forward and inverse kinematics. These models facilitate the determination of the reachable workspace and the trajectories of all five fingertips. To further explore this expanded workspace, the study introduces the concept of finger orientation planes, linking finger orientation to various palm configurations. To illustrate the relationship between finger-orientation planes and hand posture, a four-dimensional Gauss map is employed. Subsequently, manifolds representing finger orientation, varying based on hand pose, are derived from the ruled surface. The paper also includes workspace simulations that demonstrate the unique capabilities and dexterity of this novel robotic hand, highlighting its potential applications and advancements in robotic manipulation.