Robotics

They See, They Hear, Now They Feel

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Making Robots Feel Better

BeBop Sensors uses Smart Fabric to bring human level sensation to organically shaped machines.  Most of our built environment is constructed by humans, for humans, so robots will need to learn and interact by sense and feel.

BeBop provides a nervous system to roboticists designing human-like robots, bringing sensation to the limbs, fingers, feet, head, and torso.

RoboSkin

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The BeBop Sensors RoboSkin reference design offers roboticists a look into how soft, flexible, sensing can be integrated into complex or organic forms and unlock new dimensions of machine intelligence.  If you believe in a world where more human-like robots will live and work side by side with us, you can now focus on shaping robots for our world instead of shaping the world for our robots.

The first reference design is a distal finger joint – one of the most important sensory interfaces of the human body.  Fabric sensing is uniquely suited for high density, dynamic, and repeatable response from the complex shape of a human finger.  A visualization and control application allows users to explore the responsive behavior and tune to their requirements.

Image RoboSkin Reference Design – 80 taxel distal array measures approximately 31 mm x 19 mm diameter (not including Central board)
Image RoboSkin and visualizer. 3D data visualization displays multi-touch sensor activation around the curvature of the distal joint.

RoboSkin Benefits

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Durable, Versatile

Durability and responsiveness at high forces gives industrial users more versatile grasping and end-of-arm solutions

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Light Touch

Low activation force allows AI training for delicate or intricate tasks that require light touch

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Flexible, Dexterous

Flexible sensing provides ability to design in more coverage for organic forms, soft robotics, and high dexterity applications

RoboSkin Key Features

  • Organically shaped exterior and interior support (“bone”) provides normalized response without hot spotting or dead zones
  • Coverage: 180 degrees cylindrical body and a spherical tip deliver multitouch data for sensing complex components.

  • Web-based real-time data visualization and output tuning software enables training
  • Low to high range (80dB) force interactions for in-home to industrial applications

RoboSkin Specifications

Hardware

  • 80 taxel, distal array; 2 mm x 3 mm pitch
  • 31 mm length x 19 mm diameter
  • 31 mm x 20 mm sensing zone (unwrapped, bounding box)
  • 12-bit data per taxel
  • 80dB log response from 5 g to 50 kg per each taxel
  • Distal finger to Central board: Connects vis I2C; JST SH 1mm pitch horizontal
  • Central board: 8 inputs and USB 2.0, UART, I2C, and SPI outputs
  • Central board to Host device: USB-C (USB 2.0); JST SH 1 mm pitch horizontal (UART, I2C, SPI)
  • User variable data rate 10-150 Hz (modifiable beyond this range depending on requirements)
  • Silicone covering for responsiveness and grasp

SDK

  • APIs for real-time raw data streams
  •  

    Sample code for Python and Javascript

Platforms

  • Windows 10 or later
  • MacOS Catalina (v.10.15.7)
  • Ubuntu OS v19.04
  • Raspberry Pi OS on Raspberry Pi V4

Software

  • Desktop Chrome Web Application
  • Multiple visualization modes including live data charts or 3D rendered
  • Data recording to CSV files