Developing a Camera-Based Sensing System for a Soft Robotic Finger

Abstract

Soft robots have gained a lot of interest amongst many researchers and companies due to their materials, making them highly adaptable to their environments. However, the very characteristic that makes them so appealing – their versatility – also poses a big challenge – developing sensors for motion tracking and feedback. A camera-based sensing system was developed for a soft robotic finger so that the finger’s wide range of bending can be tracked. Having a robust sensing system will allow them to have better feedback loops and interact with its surroundings more seamlessly and reliably. This sensor was set up to be easily adaptable to other soft robots, as well as can be expanded upon by others to gather even more data on detecting contact points and other motions.