Feature-Based Tactile Object Recognition

Tactile sensing offers powerful capabilities for robotic perception. Through the use of array-force sensors, precisely located surface information about objects in the workspace is available wherever the robot arm may reach. In order to use this information to identify objects and their placement, interpretation processes should employ proprioceptive information and should use tactile image features which reflect object characteristics. A technique is described for the generation of constraints on object identity and placement such that information from multiple sensor contacts may cooperate towards interpretation.