Robots recognize human touch – without artificial skin

Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have developed a system that allows robots to detect human touch. This requires neither external sensors nor artificial skin.

Many new approaches to robotics have been developed in recent decades. Elon Musk, for example, is relying on a humanoid robot for production, while Boston Dynamics is working on flexible systems. But it is still not entirely clear how we will be able to interact with robots in the foreseeable future.

Researchers at the German Aerospace Center are currently working on a new system that enables robots to recognize human touch without relying on artificial skin. The new approach could soon make interaction between humans and robots even more intuitive and fluid.

Robots recognize human touch

The system uses sensors to function correctly. These are attached to various parts of a robot arm. The sensors measure the pressure and angle of the touch, which enables the robot to recognize the position and intention of the touch. This allows a user to “write” letters or numbers on the robot, which the robot can then interpret.

The system offers a more cost-effective and robust alternative to previous methods, which often require expensive and fragile artificial skin. However, it does have limitations. Currently, the system can only handle two touch points at a time, which could pose challenges in more complex environments.

Will robots soon be able to interact even better with their environment?

Although improvements are still needed, experts see great potential in the technology. In the long term, robots based on both skin and joint sensors could be able to interact with their environment more safely and effectively.

Further developments in human-robot interaction will reveal the extent to which artificial systems respond to human input. This could pave the way for humanoid robots that are able to work seamlessly with humans in a variety of environments.

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