We demonstrate that data-driven methods can be used to rapidly categorize objects encountered through incidental contact on a robot arm. Allowing incidental contact with surrounding objects has benefits during manipulation ...

When making contact with an object, a robot can use a tactile sensor consisting of a heating element and a temperature sensor to recognize the object’s material based on conductive heat transfer from the tactile sensor ...

In this paper, we demonstrate data-driven inference of mechanical properties of objects using a tactile sensor array (skin) covering a robot's forearm. We focus on the mobility (sliding vs. fixed), compliance (soft vs. ...

Whole-arm tactile sensing enables a robot to sense properties of contact across its entire arm. By using this large sensing area, a robot has the potential to acquire useful information from incidental contact that ...

Biological organisms benefit from tactile sensing across the entire surfaces of their bodies. Robots may also be able to benefit from this type of sensing, but fully covering a robot with robust and capable tactile sensors ...

Online detection of anomalous execution can be valuable for robot manipulation, enabling robots to operate more safely, determine when a behavior is inappropriate, and otherwise exhibit more common sense. By using ...