Robotic Touch
This video has been circulating around the web for a while, it shows researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology experimenting with touch in robotic arms. One aspect being a type of sensitive skin (albeit crude in it’s present form).
A few things aside, what I find particularly interesting is the reaction from Henry in his first ‘skin to skin’ meeting with the robotic arm as it helps him put on a blanket. It starts at about 00:35, here is an excerpt.
“With the touch sensitive skin I can feel the robot keeping contact forces low but still in constant pursuit of its goal. I felt immediately that it wouldn’t hurt me. But rather it seemed aware of my presence as it went about its business.”
Read more on the Georgia Tech webpage: http://www.robotics.gatech.edu/newsroom/features/touch
