The research on underactuated hands completed in the Robotics Laboratory
at Université Laval over the last decade is the result of the work of several individuals.
The authors are gratefully acknowledging their valuable contribution
to the knowledge and expertise that made this book possible. These individuals
include several students and researchers, namely, Sylvain Lemieux, Éric
Dégoulange, Serge Montambault, Laura Sie, Mathieu Myrand, Bruno Massa,
François Deschênes, Jean-Philippe Jobin, Frédéric Pelletier and Éric Boudreault
as well as Jean-Claude Gariépy, the machinist who built most of the prototypes.
Several laboratories around the world are currently very active in the area
of underactuated hands. New fundamental results are published regularly and
new designs are revealed. Several open issues may need significant work before
they can be resolved satisfactorily. It is therefore expected that research in the
area will continue to grow. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this book is
the first one to specifically address the topic of underactuated robotic hands.
As such, it represents a first attempt at crystallizing a body of knowledge that
has so far been disseminated through publications and patents. Consequently,
this monograph does not claim to present a complete picture of the research on
the topic. It is rather intended as a first step in formalizing the most important
research issues pertaining to underactuated hands. It is hoped that this book
will be useful to many researchers and students and that it will be followed by
others.