Learning Rope Manipulation Policies Using Dense Object Descriptors Trained on Synthetic Depth Data
Robotic manipulation of deformable 1D objects such as ropes, cables, and hoses is challenging due to the lack of high-fidelity analytic models and large configuration spaces. Furthermore, learning end-to-end manipulation policies directly from images and physical interaction requires significant time on a robot and can fail to generalize across tasks.
Evidence notes
- YuMi (IRB 14000 Dual-arm) is the hardware platform used for the reported demonstration.
Company context
ABB is a publicly listed electrification and automation group. It currently owns ABB Robotics, whose signed sale to SoftBank remains pending, while Machine Automation continues inside ABB's Automation business.