Knowledge Base of Tactile Sensors

Tactile sensors are used for a multitude of applications ranging from detection of cancerous cells to iPhones.  In this project we survey and study tactile sensing technologies and evaluate their usefulness for robotic applications.  Our current findings are summarized in the project report below.  The project is ongoing, so we expect to post updated versions of the report regularly.

 

This project is lead by Anna Petrovskaya and joined by two ambitious interns from Casteleja High School in Palo Alto: Sherri Billimoria and Nandini Mukherjee.

 

 

 

 

Relevant publications:

 

Tactile Sensors.  Sherri Billimoria, Nandini Mukherjee, Anna Petrovskaya and Oussama Khatib.  Project report.  Stanford University, 2008. [pdf]

 

Typical applications Where Tactilus® Reveals Surface Contact Pressure - Lamination Press, Ultrasonic Welding, Nip, Heat Sink, Door Seal, & Wafer Polishing

Fig. 1  The Tekscan pressure measurement system.

Fig. 2  The Tactilus sensor by Sensor Products.

Fig. 3  Robotic hand and skin developed at the University of Tokyo.

Fig. 4  Microsoft Surface, a multi-touch interactive table top.