Incipient Slip Detection

This 16x16 tactile sensor array is our workhorse for tactile-based robotics research. Providing 256 taxels on a grid of size 8cm x 8cm, we have a spatial resolution of 5mm. The modular design allows to stitch individual modules together to yield a larger tactile-sensitive surface. Running as a single module, we achieve frame rates of up to 1.8 kHz allowing for incipient slip detection.

The onset of slippage is indicated by high-frequency micro-vibrations occuring between the two touching surfaces. These vibrations can be picked up by our sensor and training a neural network to detect the characteristic frequency spectrum of vibrations is possible.