DIGIT Tactile Sensor

A Framework for Tactile‐Based Proximity Sensing of Buried Objects via Granular Media Jamming

ABSTRACT Many hazardous tasks, such as those related to search and rescue scenarios, involve interactions with granular materials. In such examples, tactile sensing can be invaluable, since objects of interest are often not visible but may still be haptically salient. When a tool, such as a robot finger, approaches a buried object, the displaced granular material ahead of the tool begins to compact against the buried object. The resulting granular media jamming causes an increase in contact force felt on the robot finger without the finger making direct contact with the buried obj