Robots that sense before they touch

In a demonstration, a robotic arm approaches three plastic bottles, two of which are filled with water, one of which is empty. Without touching the bottles, the sensors at the end of the arm scan them, collecting information about their conductive properties. After each bottle has been sensed, the arm returns to the empty bottle and, as programmed, knocks it off the table.

The demonstration showcases technology, called pre-touch, that is currently under development at Intel. The researchers have incorporated the sensors into a robotic hand as well, allowing mechanical fingers to adjust to the size and shape of an object that they encounter (see video). The goal, explains Josh Smith, senior research scientist at Intel Research Seattle, is to "improve the ability of robots to grasp objects in unstructured human environments."

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