Robots are increasingly present in daily life, but their ability to handle objects with the precision of human hands remains a challenge. At Kennesaw State University, new research is focused on improving how robots interact with their environment through enhanced movement and touch.
“My research focuses on dexterous manipulation,” said Lingfeng Tao, a Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering professor at Kennesaw State University’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. “I want to control robot hands that are similar to the human hand, with multiple joints that can move independently and perform complex tasks.”
Tao leads efforts to teach robots more natural ways of handling objects. His work aims for robotic hands that can move smoothly during both remote and autonomous operations. The project is funded by a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as well as a $40,000 NVIDIA Academic Grant supporting advanced AI hardware.
Unlike basic grippers that only open or close, Tao’s team works with multi-fingered robotic hands able to rotate items, use tools, and adjust grip strength based on feedback from physical interaction. Achieving these abilities depends on advanced artificial intelligence.
Traditional systems often map human hand movements directly onto robots without considering physical interactions. According to Tao, this approach requires operators to act slowly and carefully because the robot lacks tactile awareness.
“When humans manipulate objects, there are physical interactions happening,” Tao said. “If you only map human motion to the robot, the robot cannot understand or feel those interactions.”
To overcome this limitation, Tao uses deep reinforcement learning in simulated environments where thousands of virtual robots practice tasks at once. This allows the AI system to learn from both successes and failures before being tested in real-world scenarios.
“We collect all of those experiences,” Tao said. “The AI learns how to avoid failure and encourage successful behavior.”
Tao compares this process to how children learn: “A kid already has basic abilities from playing with toys,” he said. “They watch adults, learn how the tool is used, and then apply their own skills.”
By letting robots follow general instructions while managing detailed manipulation themselves, his research could make it possible for people to operate robots remotely in hazardous or inaccessible locations.
“You could send a robot to the moon or to deep-sea environments,” Tao said. “The human can still control it to do very subtle, dexterous tasks.”
Potential applications include surgery performed by robots, space missions, disaster response efforts, manufacturing processes, and healthcare settings.
SPCEET Dean Lawrence Whitman highlighted the broader impact of Tao’s work: “Dr. Tao’s research unites artificial intelligence and robotics to change the way we live and work,” Whitman said. “His work is a shining example of research designed to understand problems and seek innovative solutions to a range of grand societal challenges.”
Since joining Kennesaw State in August, Tao has been building up his labs on the Marietta Campus—including a robotics lab in Crawford Building—where graduate students assist with developing systems and testing them both virtually and physically.
Looking forward, Tao wants future systems that combine robotic control with feedback so they can manage longer sequences of actions safely.
“If robots are going to enter everyday life, safety and reliability are critical,” Tao said. “Our goal is to make robots intelligent, safe, and truly helpful to people.”
