Robot finger more sensitive than human skin

Scientists have created a robot finger with "skin" that is even more sensitive than that of humans.

The developers at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering have created a fingertip sensor that can outsmart humans in identifying textures.

Gizmag said that the invention called BioTac may offer new advances in the creation of prostheses.

The researchers put the finger to task by instructing it to identify 117 diferent types of materials.

The robot was able to have a 99.6 percent accuracy – likely far more than humans, said PC World.

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The BioTac sensor not only can identify textures but also can sense temperature.

The robot even has fingerprints which makes it sensitive to vibration, reported TG Daily.

The vibrations help the internal sensor understand what the finger is prodding.

UPI reported that the finger can even identify where and in which direction force is applied.

The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Neurobotics.

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