A tactile sensory-enhanced assistive robot

Users of tele-operated assistive robots, much like their counter-parts in other applications, have indicated concern about the lack of tactile feedback. While remarkable developments have been made in eliciting viable neuronal control of a robotic arm, the sensation of touch is needed in order to close the sensorimotor loop and enhance control of movement. We have developed a novel assistive robotic system that provides tactile feedback from a robotic gripper via a haptic interface to the user´s tongue. In this paper we focus on the sensors suitable for inclusion in such a system. We explore the requirements for tactile sensors used in assistive robotics. A prototype sensor system with force (both normal and shear) and shape sensing capabilities is presented. This system is being used to evaluate the utility of various tactile sensing capabilities (e.g. normal vs. shear force, force distributions) in assistive robot applications.