Robots get a feel for human touch, no artificial skin required

In a groundbreaking development, scientists have found a way to give robots a sense of touch without relying on expensive artificial skin. This innovation, spearheaded by a team from the German Aerospace Centre, could revolutionize human-robot interactions and make robots more adaptable and intuitive to use.

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AI robot with internal sensors (German Aerospace Centre) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

The power of AI and internal sensors

Instead of using costly biometric skins and sensors, the researchers harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to interpret signals from a robot’s existing internal sensors. This clever approach allows robots to accurately detect external force and pressure, mimicking the human sense of touch.

The team’s concept includes virtual buttons, switches and slider bars that can be placed anywhere on the robot’s structure. This flexibility opens up new possibilities for human-robot interaction.

AI robot with internal sensors (German Aerospace Centre) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

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Impressive accuracy

The machine learning algorithms developed by the team are so accurate that the robot can even detect numbers traced on its surface. This capability could lead to entirely new ways for humans to communicate with robots.

AI robot with internal sensors (German Aerospace Centre) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

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Implications for human-robot interaction

The researchers believe this technology will enable a shift towards more adaptable, flexible and intuitive handling of robots. As they wrote in their study, “This opens up unexplored opportunities in terms of intuitive and flexible interaction between humans and robots.” The study, titled “Intrinsic sense of touch for intuitive physical human-robot interaction,” was published in the journal Science Robotics.

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AI robot with internal sensors (German Aerospace Centre) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

By eliminating the need for expensive and complex external sensors, this technology could make advanced robots more accessible and practical for a wide range of applications. The ability to interact with robots through touch, just as we do with other humans, could transform fields ranging from health care to manufacturing, opening up exciting new possibilities for collaboration between humans and machines.

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