Vision-based cutaneous sensor to measure both tactile and thermal information for telexistence

We have proposed a vision-based cutaneous sensor for telexistence that can simulate the physical interaction between a human fingertip and an object. The proposed sensor comprises a finger-shaped GelForce and a thermo-sensitive paint. The finger-shaped GelForce enables us to measure tactile information in terms of the distribution of forces that are calculated from the displacements of markers inside the sensor body. The thermo-sensitive paint is employed to measure thermal information on the basis of its color, which changes according to its temperature. In this study, we have described the design of the proposed cutaneous sensor, constructed its prototype, and discussed its efficiency for telexistence.