6-DOF object localization via touch

The PUMA robot arm performs 6-DOF localization of an object (i.e., a cash register) via touch starting with global uncertainty. After each contact, the robot analyzes the resulting belief about the object pose. If the uncertainty of the belief is too large, the robot continues to probe the object. Once, the uncertainty is small enough, the robot is able to push buttons and manipulate the drawer based on its knowledge of the object pose and prior knowledge of the object model. A prior 3-D mesh model of the object was constructed by touching the object with the robot's end-effector.