Abstract
As a basic experiment for robot hand for transplanting plug seedling, the experimental robot hand system which moves up and downward vertically, and allows hand blade to open and close was made. The system was constructed with the robot hand mechanism, the tray, the plug seedling, and the measuring equipments. The penetrating force and holding efficiency were analyzed according to the soil moisture and the variation of hand blade angle. The highest holding efficiency could be obtained at the penetrating angle of approximately from 0 to 0.36 degree and at the moisture content of soil from 71% to 75%. The external force acted on the robot hand should maximum force when the robot hand was penetrated to soil, minimum of approximately 30.4 N when the penetrating angle was 0$^{\circ}$ and moisture content was 66-70%. It was increased with increasing or decreasing the Penetrating angle from 0 degree and also with increasing or decreasing the moisture content of soil from 66-70%. For optimal design of the robot hand and manipulator, the external force acted on robot hand had to be based on the returning force of soil, when the robot hand was penetrated to the soil. In consideration of safety ratio, the appropriate external force seemed to be 39-49 N.