# Manip4Care: Robotic Manipulation of Human Limbs for Solving Assistive Tasks

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.02649 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.02649/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 4 Aug 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [GenPHRI: Agentic Generative Simulation for Physical Human-Robot Interaction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.08664/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Enabling robots to grasp and reposition human limbs can significantly enhance their ability to provide assistive care to individuals with severe mobility impairments, particularly in tasks such as robot-assisted bed bathing and dressing. However, existing assistive robotics solutions often assume that the human remains static or quasi-static, limiting their effectiveness. To address this issue, we present Manip4Care, a modular simulation pipeline that enables robotic manipulators to grasp and reposition human limbs effectively. Our approach features a physics simulator equipped with built-in techniques for grasping and repositioning while considering biomechanical and collision avoidance constraints. Our grasping method employs antipodal sampling with force closure to grasp limbs, and our repositioning system utilizes the Model Predictive Path Integral (MPPI) and vector-field-based control method to generate motion trajectories under collision avoidance and biomechanical constraints. We evaluate this approach across various limb manipulation tasks in both supine and sitting positions and compare outcomes for different age groups with differing shoulder joint limits. Additionally, we demonstrate our approach for limb manipulation using a real-world mannequin and further showcase its effectiveness in bed bathing tasks.