A multi-modal sensing system for human-robot interaction through tactile and proximity data

Introduction: The rapid advancement of collaborative robotics has driven significant interest in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), particularly in scenarios where robots work alongside humans. This paper considers tasks where a human operator teaches the robot an operation that is then performed autonomously.Methods: A multi-modal approach employing tactile fingers and proximity sensors is proposed, where tactile fingers serve as an interface, while proximity sensors enable end-effector movements through contactless interactions and collision avoidance algorithms. In addition, the system is modular to make it adaptable to different tasks.Results: Demonstrative tests show the effectiveness of the proposed system and algorithms. The results illustrate how the tactile and proximity sensors can be used separately or in a combined way to achieve human-robot collaboration.Discussion: The paper demonstrates the use of the proposed system for tasks involving the manipulation of electrical wires. Further studies will investigate how it behaves with object of different shapes and in more complex tasks.