Advances in Robotic Manipulation through Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Gripping Concepts

Dear Colleagues,

Manipulation is a key ability for both industrial and service robots. Traditionally, handling tasks have been defined by robot operators who use their own criteria and knowledge to define the best way to pick up a product, taking into account the characteristics of the part, the environment, the available tool and the subsequent operations to be performed with the part.

With the advancement of AI, it will be possible to create solutions where the robot is able to decide the best way to pick up a product and control its handling in terms of picking, assembly and release tasks. In addition, new materials and gripping concepts based on unconventional physical or kinematic principles will lead to tools that are capable of handling many different parts, including those that require careful handling.

This Special Issue aims to collaborate with researchers to present recent advances and technologies in the field of robotic manipulation. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• AI technologies and applications for perception, manipulation and assembly;
• Innovative grasping concepts, including soft grippers;
• Learning from demonstrations;
• Control architectures;
• Flexible task planning and control;
• Human factors in manipulation applications.

Dr. Iñaki Maurtua
Dr. Ander Ansuategui
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• grasping
• assembly
• learning
• perception
• manipulation
• gripper
• control
• 3D nesting for packaging