A lire sur: http://www.atelier.net/en/trends/articles/takktile-recreates-sense-touch-placing-barometer-chip-palm-robot-hand_419238
Harvard researchers have developed a
tactile sensor, based on the barometric principle, which can turn a
robotic hand into a dextrous manipulator so as to enable the robot to
identify objects it touches and use them appropriately.
Much
research is currently going into improving and refining robots’ ability
to recognise objects, with the aim of making them more autonomous. One
recent noteworthy example is a project run by researchers at Stanford
and Carnegie Mellon Universities in the United States, who have
developed an algorithm that enables robots to identify objects around
them and classify them in terms of potential movement. Now researchers
at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a sensor called TakkTile,
which enables robots to recognise objects they hold in their ‘hands’.
TakkTile is based on a common existing device – a tiny barometer, which
senses air pressure – plus an added a layer of vacuum-sealed rubber
capable of protecting the chip from excess direct pressure. The basic
principle is that the system uses atmospheric pressure to determine the
weight of a given object.
New milestone in robot autonomy
TakkTile chips can survive a hammer blow or a strike from a
baseball bat and yet are at the same time sensitive enough to detect a
very slight touch. The patented process relies on standard methods used
in printed circuit board manufacture. The tiny barometers are similar to
those widely used in cell phones and GPS units, which can gauge
altitude. Back in 2011, researchers at the Technical University of
Munich, Germany, were already working on a tactile perception project.
The Munich team developed an artificial skin for robots to help them
navigate in their environments. TakkTile goes further however. Adding
the barometric technology to a robot’s mechanical hand enables it to
figure out what it's touching. It can take hold of a balloon without
bursting it or pick up a key and unlock a door.
Looking to market the technology
“Despite decades of research, tactile sensing hasn’t moved
into general use because it’s been expensive and fragile,” explains SEAS
graduate student and TakkTile co-creator Leif Jentoft, adding: “It
normally costs about $16,000 to put tactile sensing on a research robot
hand (…) TakkTile changes that because it's based on much simpler and
cheaper fabrication methods.” Beyond robotics, the TakkTile sensor could
be used in a range of electronic devices. A toy manufacturer could for
instance make a stuffed puppy that responds to being patted; a medical
device designer could create a laparoscopic gripper that's gentle enough
to tease apart tissue during surgery. The researchers are now pursuing
commercial opportunities and are planning to license the technology to
companies interested in manufacturing prefabricated sensors or
integrating TakkTile sensing into products in addition to robots, such
as consumer devices and industrial equipment.
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