Locally Controllable Polygons by Stable Pushing
K. M. Lynch
Abstract
This paper characterizes polygons that are small-time locally controllable by stable pushing as a function of the polygon shape, the location of the center of friction, and the friction coefficient at the pushing contact. Such polygons can be pushed to follow any path arbitrarily closely, a useful property for planar manipulation. Because the pushes are stable, pushing plans can be executed without feedback.