# FIRMGrasp: A Friction-Informed Risk Margin for Robust Grasp Synthesis

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.25049 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.25049/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 27 Jul 2026.

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

- [Does Imitation Learning Preserve Temporal Robustness in Dexterous Manipulation? An Expert-Learner Comparison Across Task Execution Speeds](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.01453/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Classical grasp quality metrics assume one deterministic friction coefficient and therefore cannot assess whether a grasp maintains force closure across plausible friction values. We present FIRMGrasp, a family of grasp quality metrics that incorporates friction uncertainty through Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR). At confidence level β, we evaluate the force-closure margin at the mean of the adverse friction tail. This evaluation defines the risk-adjusted margin varepsilon(β), the inscribed-ball radius of the corresponding grasp wrench space. We prove that varepsilon(β) varies monotonically with β, remains differentiable in the grasp parameters, and certifies that any grasp with varepsilon(β) > 0 achieves force closure with probability at least β. Across 1,599 LEAP Hand and Allegro Hand grasps, varepsilon(β) identifies friction-sensitive grasps that receive high nominal Ferrari-Canny scores, and 53% of the nominally force-closed grasps lose closure in the adverse friction tail. The nominal margin ranks a successful grasp above a failed grasp with probabilities of only 0.53 in the shake test and 0.67 in the pick test, whereas varepsilon(β) achieves 0.63 and 0.78. At an adverse friction coefficient of 0.2, 70% of grasps with positive varepsilon(β) withstand a simulated lift and lateral pull, compared with 25% of grasps with positive nominal margin and nonpositive varepsilon(β). We also synthesize grasps with positive varepsilon(β) for the RealHand L6 and LEAP Hand, both of which retain the object during adverse-friction lifts. In MuJoCo trials with the RealHand L6, 95% of grasps that establish contact and have positive varepsilon(β) retain the object at the same adverse friction coefficient.