Control layer

Where tactile enters the loop

The tactile signal stream feeds into existing motion controllers and planning stacks as a measurement input.

Tactile sensing adds a measurement channel that remains reliable when visual estimation degrades. The signal enters the control loop alongside other sensor inputs: joint encoders, force/torque sensors at the wrist, camera-based pose estimation.

The integration model is additive. Existing manipulation systems already have control infrastructure for motion execution. The tactile layer provides additional information about contact state that the existing system can consume. This is a measurement input, not a replacement for the reasoning system that decides what motion to execute.

Slip detection

Slip onset is detectable from shear force distribution before it affects grasp outcome.

When an object begins to slip in a grasp, the shear force distribution across the contact surface changes. This change is observable at the contact patch. A tactile array captures the spatial pattern of shear forces, and slip onset produces a recognizable signature.

The contact surface is hidden when the hand closes around an object. Cameras positioned externally see the hand exterior. Slip prediction requires signal from the contact interface itself, which is what tactile sensing provides.

The control loop response: when slip signature is detected, grip force increases. This is a local control decision that does not require replanning or visual re-estimation. The measurement enables the response.

Force closure

Maintaining contact during in-hand reorientation requires knowing grip force is sufficient.

In-hand reorientation is a manipulation primitive: the robot repositions an object within its grip without placing it down. This requires maintaining force closure throughout the motion. The object must not slip. The grip must remain stable while the fingers execute the reorientation trajectory.

Force closure is a contact condition. The question is whether the applied grip forces, at their current magnitudes and directions, are sufficient to resist the external forces acting on the object during motion. This question is answered by measuring contact force at the interface, not by estimating contact from visual cues.

The sensor measures contact state directly. The control loop adjusts grip force based on that measurement.

Integration path

Designed to work with existing robot hardware.

The tactile layer adds a measurement channel, not a new reasoning system. Integration targets existing motion controllers and planning stacks. The data pipeline outputs in formats consumable by common robot software frameworks.

The hardware interface is designed to be mounted on existing gripper geometries. The sensing surface conforms to the gripper's contact patch. The readout electronics package connects to the robot's compute infrastructure.

This is not a complete manipulation solution. It is a measurement layer that addresses the specific class of failure modes where vision cannot observe the contact interface during task execution.