Recent developments in robotic tactile perception

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to provide details of recent developments in robotic tactile sensing.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a short introduction, this paper first provides an overview of tactile sensing effects and technologies. It then discusses recent developments in tactile sensing skins. Tactile sensing for robotic prosthetics and hands is then considered and is followed by a discussion of “tactile intelligence”. Various experimental results are included. Finally, brief concluding comments are drawn.FindingsThis shows that many advanced, sensitive and technologically varied tactile sensing devices are being developed. These devices are expected to impart robots with a range of enhanced capabilities such as improved gripping and manipulation, object recognition, the control and robotic hands and prosthetics and collision detection.Originality/valueTactile sensing has an increasingly important role to play in robotics, and this paper provides a technical insight into a number of recent developments and their applications.