Wireless Electronic Skin with Integrated Pressure and Optical Proximity Sensing

Electronic skins and tactile sensors can provide the sense of touch to robotic manipulators. These sensing modalities complement existing long range optical sensors and can provide detailed information before and after contact. However, integration with existing systems can be challenging due to size constraints, the interface geometry, and restrictions of external wiring used to interface with the sensor. Here, we introduce a low-profile, wireless electronic skin for direct integration with existing robotic manipulators. The flexible electronic skin combines pressure, optical proximity sensing, and a micro-LIDAR device in a small, low profile package. Each of the sensors are characterized individually and the system is demonstrated on Robonaut 2, an anthropomorphic robot designed to work in environments designed for humans. We demonstrate the sensor can be used for contact sensing, mapping of local unknown environments, and to provide medical monitoring during an emergency in a remote area.