A prototype fingertip with high spatial resolution pressure sensing for the robot iCub

Tactile feedback is of crucial importance for object manipulation in unknown environments. In this paper we describe the design and realization of a fingertip which includes a capacitive pressure sensor with 12 sensitive zones. It is naturally shaped and its size is small enough so that it can be mounted on the fingers of the humanoid robot iCub. It also embeds the electronic device which performs A/D conversion: this is beneficial for the signal to noise ratio and reduces the number of wires required to connect the fingertip to the robot. The fingertip is made of silicone, which makes its surface and inner structure compliant and flexible. We present preliminary experiments performed with the first prototype.