A simple sensor will teach robots how to control their power

Before picking up something with our hands, we always assess what material the item is made of. Depending on this, we unconsciously adjust the force of our pressure and carefully hold more delicate items.

A new sensor allows us to develop this in robots too. The sensor consists of tiny, silicone-covered balls and a camera. The latter captures changes in the location of the beads when they come in contact with an object. This constitutes a database helping the system understand how to handle different types of objects.

This simple and cheap device will help scientists create a breakthrough in developing bionic arms and robot loaders. Trained machines will be able to vary the force of their grip depending on the load while immediately making adjustments if the pressure is inadequate. Also, the development can be useful in the sports industry, for example, for the creation of sports equipment with tactile feedback.

The dimensions of the sensor are 5 x 5 cm, with a thickness of 1.7 cm. Now scientists are planning to create an advanced version of the sensor, which will be bigger and thinner, as well as acquiring several additional cameras.