Accurate discrete-continuous dynamical simulation of dextrous manipulation

This paper presents an approach towards modeling and accurate dynamical simulation of multi-fingered dextrous manipulation. A hybrid discrete-continuous systems approach allows to integrate time-driven mechanical characteristics and discrete-event aspects due to varying contact situations into one comprehensive modeling framework. A formal description is derived which can straightforwardly be embedded into a simulation environment like e.g. Matlab. Dynamical simulations of a four-fingered hand manipulating an object demonstrate the high accuracy of our approach.