RobotMe summary
IEEE Spectrum explores efforts to give robot learning systems a more useful sense of touch. Vision can help a robot locate an object, but precise manipulation also depends on detecting contact, slipping and changes in force.
The report describes new tactile datasets and a Berkeley approach that separates higher-level action planning from faster tactile control. The tactile component can adjust a movement as contact changes. This work addresses a data and timing gap in robot learning, particularly for small objects and deformable materials, rather than simply adding another camera.