Using tactile information in telerobotics

An array force sensor mounted on the gripper of a robot can provide information about the contact taking place with the environment. Limited success has been attained in the use of such sensors in identifying and localizing objects. Another promising use is in the provision of tactile information for telerobotic operation. The authors have carried out experiments that test a variety of tactile display methods examining human performance in judgments about robotic manipulation. The pattern of performance across the different display methods suggests that the use of the tactile data is dependent on the availability of an intersensory model of the environment