Stimulus distinction in the skin of a robot using tactile and shock sensors

Abstract

AbstractRecent developments in the areas of mobile and humanoid robots have resulted in a marked increase in the potential applications of robotics. Since it is likely that robots will cohabitate and interact with humans in a variety of situations, they will need an external skin capable of distinguishing between various stimuli. The present study investigates the development of robot‐skin sensors capable of recognizing four stimuli that are frequently encountered in everyday life. A prototype was designed using pressure‐sensitive rubber and two types of shock sensors, and results indicate that the four stimuli can be distinguished based on differences in pressure and acceleration between stimuli. We describe the development of the skin sensory system and the mechanism employed to distinguish between the different stimuli, and present the results of experiments conducted using the developed system. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 93(1): 50–57, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10103