An approach to integrated tactile perception

This paper presents an integrated approach to tactile perception, both in terms of data acquisition and data interpretation. In humans, touch sensing is implemented through a number of different sensing elements embedded in the skin. The interpretation of perceived data to the level of detection of basic features, such as material, shape of surface, shape of contact, is achieved by integrating the different sensorial inputs at a low level, with no involvement of high level cognitive processes. The approach we propose in this paper follows this anthropomorphic model of tactile perception, by including, on one hand, a miniature fingertip integrating different sensors and, on the other hand, a parallel data interpretation module implemented through a fuzzy neural-network which processes all the different inputs at the same level. The paper describes the characteristics of the integrated fingertip sensor and of the neuro-fuzzy system, and discusses experimental results achieved during exploratory tasks on a set of common objects are discussed in detail.