DIGIT: A Novel Design for a Low-Cost Compact High-Resolution Tactile Sensor with Application to In-Hand Manipulation (2005.14679v1)

Abstract: Despite decades of research, general purpose in-hand manipulation remains one of the unsolved challenges of robotics. One of the contributing factors that limit current robotic manipulation systems is the difficulty of precisely sensing contact forces -- sensing and reasoning about contact forces are crucial to accurately control interactions with the environment. As a step towards enabling better robotic manipulation, we introduce DIGIT, an inexpensive, compact, and high-resolution tactile sensor geared towards in-hand manipulation. DIGIT improves upon past vision-based tactile sensors by miniaturizing the form factor to be mountable on multi-fingered hands, and by providing several design improvements that result in an easier, more repeatable manufacturing process, and enhanced reliability. We demonstrate the capabilities of the DIGIT sensor by training deep neural network model-based controllers to manipulate glass marbles in-hand with a multi-finger robotic hand. To provide the robotic community access to reliable and low-cost tactile sensors, we open-source the DIGIT design at https://digit.ml/.

• The paper introduces DIGIT, a tactile sensor that improves in-hand manipulation by offering a compact design, high resolution, and cost efficiency.
• It employs a modular mechanical and electronic design validated through deep learning and model predictive control, achieving precise tactile feedback.
• The open-sourced design promotes scalability and wider adoption in robotics, encouraging further innovations in sensor fusion and autonomous control.

Overview of "DIGIT: A Novel Design for a Low-Cost Compact High-Resolution Tactile Sensor with Application to In-Hand Manipulation"

This paper presents DIGIT, a tactile sensor developed to address the challenges of in-hand robotic manipulation. Though contact force sensing is pivotal in robotic manipulation, existing tactile sensors often fall short due to their size, sensitivity, manufacturing challenges, and cost. DIGIT seeks to overcome these by offering a compact, cost-effective, and high-resolution tactile sensor that is easily manufacturable and reliable.

The authors clearly position DIGIT as an advancement over traditional vision-based tactile sensors like GelSight, emphasizing its smaller size and efficient design. This transition to a more compact form factor allows for integration onto multi-fingered robotic hands, paving the way for more sophisticated in-hand manipulation tasks. The paper goes into detail about the mechanical and electronic design of DIGIT, highlighting its modular construction and the robustness of its elastomer layer, which is crucial given the wear-intensive environment tactile sensors operate in.

The authors validate DIGIT through experiments involving in-hand manipulation of glass marbles, a complex task that tests the sensor's ability to provide granular tactile feedback. By leveraging deep learning and model predictive control (MPC), the sensors guide a robotic hand to manipulate marbles delicately and precisely, underscoring the sensor's potential to enhance robotic dexterity. The use of a neural network to predict the dynamics model, combined with tactile sensing, demonstrates the sensor's applicability to real-world, delicate manipulation tasks—a significant leap from existing tactile sensing applications.

Quantitative results underscore the sensor's effectiveness, with substantial performance metrics from the in-hand manipulation tasks. These experiments not only establish DIGIT's capability but also portray the feasibility of tactile-enhanced control systems in achieving finer control than previously possible. The authors elaborate on scalability issues, suggesting that integrating tactile signals across multiple fingers with learning algorithms dramatically improves computational efficiency and control performance.

The open-sourcing of DIGIT’s design is a strategic move to encourage widespread adoption and development, potentially instigating a surge in tactile sensing applications within the robotics community. Its low-cost production model makes it accessible for various research and application settings, broadening the scope of future tactile sensing innovations.

The implications of this research are noteworthy. Practically, DIGIT could be integrated into commercial robotic systems for tasks requiring nuanced manipulation—potentially applications in manufacturing, service robots, or prosthetic development. Theoretically, this work aligns closely with ongoing research in sensor fusion and autonomous control learning, contributing valuable data to better model physical interactions. Future work may explore further miniaturization and enhancement of tactile resolution, coupled with more sophisticated control algorithms to enhance manipulation proficiency further.

In conclusion, this paper offers a detailed exploration of DIGIT, showcasing the device's promising role in advancing the state of robotic tactile sensing and manipulation. Its development represents a significant step forward in achieving dexterity in robotics, formerly a distant pursuit.