Grant: Engage Grants Program

Technological and robotic advancements have provided a greater understanding of extreme environmental*factors in remote locations. One such robotic advancements have been for space exploration, such as the Mars*rover for space exploration, or the Canadarm2 that has key responsibilities for assembly and maintenance on*the International Space Station. Robotic advancements have been for mainly video technology that provides*visual feedback, and microphones and speakers provide verbal and auditory. One key technological*advancement that has been limited is towards haptic technology for haptic feedback. Limitations in*technological developments and sensory information have been the pressure sensing to the high depth quality*as equivalent to the human sense of touch.*This proposed project will use fabric sensor technology developed by Studio 1 Labs Inc. where the technology*has the ability to determine higher levels of electrical signal range at each point in a network of sensors in*relation to determining vibration and pressure variability, used for artificial exterior skin to provide robotic*dexterity for haptic feedback as equivalent to the human sense of touch. The project will undergo three phases*for developing dexterity for the artificial exterior skin as compared to the sense of human touch.*As a start, a study will be conducted to classify materials by texture in direct and indirect touch by magnitudes*such as roughness, hardness, and thickness of the different textures. The next phase will integrate fabric system*with a robotic arm as the outer layer artificial exterior skin, in performing tasks requiring dexterity as*equivalent to the human sense of touch. The final will perform operations in amphibious environments with*potential marine animals for the goal of simulating environments as close to microgravity of weightlessness as*economically feasible.