ViaTac Tactile Sensor Array
Overview
ViaTac is a high-resolution piezoresistive tactile sensor array designed for conformal contact with object surfaces, offering exceptional spatial resolution and outstanding durability across a wide force range. This cost-effective solution significantly enhances the dexterous manipulation capabilities of robots, making it ideal for applications in logistics, domestic tasks, and various service robots scenarios.
Research completion
2025
Commercialisation opportunities
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Problem addressed
Current robotic systems lack cost-effective, high-performance tactile sensors that can be easily scaled and deployed on robotic hands. ViaTac bridges this gap by offering an affordable solution that enables large-scale tactile data collection, paying the way for enhanced robotic manipulation across a wide range of applications.
Innovation
- Innovative utilization of flexible printed circuit (FPC) via as electrodes to achieve cost-effective, high spatial resolution tactile sensor array.
- Integration of sensing and stretchable encapsulation layers through thermal compression bonding, ensuring structural stability while enabling conformal contact with object surfaces.
- Customized data acquisition circuit with row-column scanning architecture and anti-crosstalk design, enabling high-speed sampling of large-scale tactile sensor array.
Key impact
- High-performance Tactile Sensing: Superior sensor resolution and high sensitivity dramatically enhance robotic tactile perception, enabling dexterous manipulation of objects.
- Versatile Applications: Easily customizable for various robotic platforms and scenarios from industrial automation to service robots.
- Cost-effective Solution: Innovative design and simple fabrication process enable affordable large-scale deployment on robotic systems.
Application
- Tactile Dexterous Hands: Tailored and seamlessly integrated into various robotic hand designs, enabling human-like sensing and manipulation capabilities.
- Robotic Electronic Skin: Creates flexible, large-area tactile surfaces for whole-body awareness in collaborative and service robots.
Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics was established in 2020 by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, with research contributions from the University of California, Berkeley. The Centre focuses on the research and development (R&D) of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for “future workplace” as well as innovative solutions to the “pressing problems” in the logistics industry. In particular, HKCLR aims to advance robot intelligence in terms of
• Robust Sensing and Perception
• AI-Powered Robot Manipulation
• Human-Robot Collaboration
• Unmanned Logistics Vehicles
The research team is composed of distinguished professors from the two universities and accomplished Ph.D. degree holders across world-leading universities. The Centre is dedicated to pursuing innovative breakthroughs in ready-for-use robotics and AI technologies via close collaboration with academic and industrial stakeholders throughout Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area (GBA), and Chinese Mainland. It is expected that the Centre will foster the leading role of the local logistics industry in GBA and Chinese Mainland, meanwhile enhancing its competitive edge in the global arena.
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