A new method of observing the state of tasks is presented. When a robot rubs an object with an end effector, it generates a frictional force which contains much information on the state of tasks. Force measured with a wrist force sensor is analyzed. The friction is classified into viscous friction or Coulomb friction, according to the relation between the friction force and velocity. The state of contact can be determined by estimating the type of friction: if the friction is viscous, a surface contact is supposed, while Coulomb suggests a point contact. This function can be useful in the reliable performance of assembly tasks.
In addition, by gauging the magnitude of the frictional force, we can detect the shortage of paint held in a brush in a painting task. This function can also be applied to other tasks such as polishing a floor with wax or wiping off an oil stain.
In the experiment, surface contact between two planes is successfully achieved, and a board is uniformly painted, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method.
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