Obstacle avoidance in a pick-and-place task

The present study investigated the influence of obstacles that differed in size on a pick-and-place movement. The aim was to investigate movement constraints imposed by obstacle avoidance. The experimental results confirmed that different obstacles affected movement kinematics of the pick-and-place movement as did the direction in which the movement had to be performed. Temporal movement parameters such as movement time and mean velocity showed modulations as well. These results implied that information on obstacle size and movement direction was integrated in the planning and execution phase of the pick-and-place movement. Results and their implication on robot control are also discussed.