Feature detection with an image based compliant tactile sensor

Presents feature detection of a contacting object with two types of image based compliant tactile sensor. The first version of the image based compliant tactile sensor consists of rubber skin, two small CCD cameras and a light source. A lattice pattern is drawn on the inner side of the rubber skin to calculate its deformation with a stereo vision technique. A second version of the image based compliant tactile sensor was developed based on the experimental results of feature detection with the first version. The second version consists of a rubber skin which has a pin array on its inner side, one small CCD camera and light source. If an object contacts with the rubber skin, the skin will be deformed according to the object shape and contact localization. The interval between the pins on the skin widens at an area which has a large curvature, causing the base of the skin to appear and brightness patterns to change. This sensor extracts features of the object in contact by using this brightness pattern.