Objects that cannot be taken apart with two hands (Q1338963)

In the Euclidean plane any configuration of convex objects can be easily ``taken apart by translation with two hands''. It has been conjectured that every configuration \(C\) of convex objects (bounded point sets) in Euclidean 3-space with disjoint interiors can be taken apart in the same sense: this is, some proper subsets of \(C\) can be translated to infinity without disturbing its complement. The authors show that this conjecture holds for five or fewer objects. Using symmetry groups they give a counterexample with six objects (tetrahedra). They finally extend the counterexample to a configuration (of 30 convex sticks) that cannot be taken apart with two hands using arbitrary isometries. These questions have applications in the fields of mechanical assembly planning, robotic manipulation, and computer graphics.