RoboWrangler: Toward Rope-based Grasping for Mobile Manipulation

Rope is a versatile tool that has been used throughout history for numerous applications, thanks to its ability to conform to different shapes and manipulate objects of various length scales, textures, and masses. Rope could therefore be a viable tool for expanding the functionality of robots operating in human environments. In this paper, we present a rope-based manipulator that can be equipped to robots’ end-effectors and used to ensnare objects and interact with environmental infrastructure. The manipulator operates by accelerating a loop of rope into a free-floating lasso-like shape whose size can be adjusted on demand. We study key variables that govern the loop shape, assess the rope manipulator’s ability to grasp a variety objects, propose a physical model for simulation of rope manipulation, and demonstrate the concept’s application potential when attached to a quadrupedal robot. We find that the manipulator enables wrangling of diverse objects and can be used to functionalize the existing appendages of a teleoperated quadruped robot, empowering the robot to pick up tools, open doors, and engage in manipulation of large objects. Overall, this work provides a foundation for creating and controlling a new class of rope-based robotic manipulators, serving as a testament to how passive mechanical features may be exploited to enrich manipulation capabilities.