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Advances in Tactile Sensing and Robotic Grasping

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensors and Robotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 9335

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jun Yang

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Guest Editor

Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
Interests: flexible electronics; tactile sensor; photodetector

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tactile perception, force feedback and intelligent grasping are the basics of intelligent robots. The development of tactile sensing devices and sensing technology is greatly promoting the ability of robots to be competent for various complex object recognition and grasping operations. However, compared with the human hand, there is still a huge gap between the existing tactile sensing and feedback control technologies. Therefore, the development of human-like tactile sensing devices, tactile recognition algorithms and tactile feedback control technology is the only way to improve robotic intelligence. This special issue focuses on novel tactile sensors, tactile perception, force feedback control and their applications in robotic grasping.

The Special Issue encourages contributions in, among others, the following topics:

Force and tactile sensing;
Tactile sensor technologies;
Distributed force sensors;
Artificial skin;
Three-axis force sensors;
Flexible pressure sensors;
Robot tactile systems;
Grasping and manipulation of soft objects;
haptic feedback;
Deformable object manipulation;
Slipping detection and strategy avoidance;
Contact modeling;
Object physical properties recognition.

Dr. Jun Yang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

tactile sensor
robot grasping
robotic tactile sensing
haptic feedback
tactile feedback

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1706 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Precision 3D Reconstruction Study with Emphasis on Refractive Calibration of GelStereo-Type Sensors

by Chaofan Zhang, Shaowei Cui, Shuo Wang, Jingyi Hu, Yipeng Huangfu and Boyue Zhang

Sensors 2023, 23(5), 2675; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23052675 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1633

Abstract

GelStereo sensing technology is capable of performing three-dimensional (3D) contact shape measurement under various contact structures such as bionic curved surfaces, which has promising advantages in the field of visuotactile sensing. However, due to multi-medium ray refraction in the imaging system, robust and high-precision tactile 3D reconstruction remains a challenging problem for GelStereo-type sensors with different structures. In this paper, we first propose a universal Refractive Stereo Ray Tracing (RSRT) model for GelStereo-type sensing systems to realize 3D reconstruction of the contact surface. Moreover, a relative geometry-based optimization method is presented to calibrate multiple parameters of the proposed RSRT model, such as the refractive indices and structural dimensions. Furthermore, extensive quantitative calibration experiments are performed on four different GelStereo sensing platforms; the experimental results show that the proposed calibration pipeline can achieve less than 0.35 mm in Euclidean distance error, based on which we believe that the proposed refractive calibration method can be further applied in more complex GelStereo-type and other similar visuotactile sensing systems. Such high-precision visuotactile sensors can facilitate the study of robotic dexterous manipulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tactile Sensing and Robotic Grasping)

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14 pages, 8724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proposal of a Real-Time Test Platform for Tactile Internet Systems

by Pedro V. A. Alves, Patricia D. M. Plentz and Marcelo A. C. Fernandes

Sensors 2022, 22(24), 9865; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22249865 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1361

Abstract

This work aimed to develop a real-time test platform for systems associated with the tactile internet area. The proposal comprises a master device, a communication channel and a slave device. The master device is a tactile glove (wearable technology) that works as a tactile interface based on vibratory feedback. The master device can interact with virtual elements (local or remote). The Matlab/Simulink environment and a robotics toolbox form the communication channel and the slave device. The communication channel introduces a bidirectional connection of variable latency, and the slave device is defined as a robotic phantom omni manipulator emulated in Matlab/Simulink. The virtual robotic manipulator, the slave device, can generate different types of tactile sensations in the tactile glove, that is, in the master device. The platform can model tactile sensations such as coarse roughness, fine roughness, smoothness, dripping and softness. The proposed platform presented adequate results and can be used to test various algorithms and methods correlated to the tactile internet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tactile Sensing and Robotic Grasping)

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33 pages, 2972 KiB

Open AccessArticle

FPGA Applied to Latency Reduction for the Tactile Internet

by José C. V. S. Junior, Sérgio N. Silva, Matheus F. Torquato, Toktam Mahmoodi, Mischa Dohler and Marcelo A. C. Fernandes

Sensors 2022, 22(20), 7851; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22207851 - 16 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1387

Abstract

Tactile internet applications allow robotic devices to be remotely controlled over a communication medium with an unnoticeable time delay. In bilateral communication, the acceptable round trip latency is usually 1 ms up to 10 ms, depending on the application requirements. The communication network is estimated to generate 70% of the total latency, and master and slave devices produce the remaining 30%. Thus, this paper proposes a strategy to reduce 30% of the total latency produced by such devices. The strategy is to use FPGAs to minimize the execution time of device-associated algorithms. With this in mind, this work presents a new hardware reference model for modules that implement nonlinear positioning and force calculations and a tactile system formed by two robotic manipulators. In addition to presenting the implementation details, simulations and experimental tests are performed in order to validate the hardware proposed model. Results associated with the FPGA sampling rate, throughput, latency, and post-synthesis occupancy area are analyzed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tactile Sensing and Robotic Grasping)

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16 pages, 5113 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Origami-Inspired Structure with Pneumatic-Induced Variable Stiffness for Multi-DOF Force-Sensing

by Wenchao Yue, Jiaming Qi, Xiao Song, Shicheng Fan, Giancarlo Fortino, Chia-Hung Chen, Chenjie Xu and Hongliang Ren

Sensors 2022, 22(14), 5370; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22145370 - 19 Jul 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2970

Abstract

With the emerging need for human–machine interactions, multi-modal sensory interaction is gradually pursued rather than satisfying common perception forms (visual or auditory), so developing flexible, adaptive, and stiffness-variable force-sensing devices is the key to further promoting human–machine fusion. However, current sensor sensitivity is fixed and nonadjustable after fabrication, limiting further development. To solve this problem, we propose an origami-inspired structure to achieve multiple degrees of freedom (DoFs) motions with variable stiffness for force-sensing, which combines the ductility and flexibility of origami structures. In combination with the pneumatic actuation, the structure can achieve and adapt the compression, pitch, roll, diagonal, and array motions (five motion modes), which significantly increase the force adaptability and sensing diversity. To achieve closed-loop control and avoid excessive gas injection, the ultra-flexible microfiber sensor is designed and seamlessly embedded with an approximately linear sensitivity of ∼0.35

Ω

/kPa at a relative pressure of 0–100 kPa, and an exponential sensitivity at a relative pressure of 100–350 kPa, which can render this device capable of working under various conditions. The final calibration experiment demonstrates that the pre-pressure value can affect the sensor’s sensitivity. With the increasing pre-pressure of 65–95 kPa, the average sensitivity curve shifts rightwards around 9 N intervals, which highly increases the force-sensing capability towards the range of 0–2 N. When the pre-pressure is at the relatively extreme air pressure of 100 kPa, the force sensitivity value is around 11.6

Ω

/N. Therefore, our proposed design (which has a low fabrication cost, high integration level, and a suitable sensing range) shows great potential for applications in flexible force-sensing development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Tactile Sensing and Robotic Grasping)

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32 pages, 2154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction Techniques on FPGA for Latency Reduction on Tactile Internet

by Sérgio N. Silva, Lucileide M. D. da Silva, Leonardo A. Dias and Marcelo A. C. Fernandes

Sensors 2022, 22(9), 3556; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22093556 - 7 May 2022

Viewed by 1355

Abstract

Tactile Internet (TI) is a new internet paradigm that enables sending touch interaction information and other stimuli, which will lead to new human-to-machine applications. However, TI applications require very low latency between devices, as the system’s latency can result from the communication channel, processing power of local devices, and the complexity of the data processing techniques, among others. Therefore, this work proposes using dedicated hardware-based reconfigurable computing to reduce the latency of prediction techniques applied to TI. Finally, we demonstrate that prediction techniques developed on field-programmable gate array (FPGA) can minimize the impacts caused by delays and loss of information. To validate our proposal, we present a comparison between software and hardware implementations and analyze synthesis results regarding hardware area occupation, throughput, and power consumption. Furthermore, comparisons with state-of-the-art works are presented, showing a significant reduction in power consumption of ≈