Collecting an object by casting manipulation

We have been developing a casting manipulator that includes a flexible light wire in the link mechanism to enlarge the workspace of the manipulator. In this paper we focus on the motion of collecting an object via casting manipulation. We propose a method of moving the object in the air by coordinating the motions of swinging the arm and winding the wire. Then, we develop a mechanical device that changes the apparent elasticity of the wire to transmit force to the object effectively. We also develop the motion generator that provides the optimal collect motion. We confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method through simulations. Finally, we conduct experiments using casting manipulator hardware and realize the quick motion of collecting the object.