Programmed synergy in dexterous robotic hands

Programmed synergy denotes an interconnection of finger joints which is implemented through control algorithms, i.e., computer software, rather than through fixed mechanical linkages. The purpose of such interconnection is to reduce the number of motor inputs to only two, i.e., open the hand and close the hand, and still achieve an appropriate hand preshaping for a particular grasp mode. The concept is discussed generally, then in particular in the context of the Belgrade/USC hand. An analytic mapping for the interconnection is derived for spherical and cylindrical grasps. An effective approximation function is found for the mapping.