Rayne Zheng

Touch Beyond Vision: Advanced Tactile Fabrics for Force Sensing and Realistic Haptic Interactions

This project aims to create the first fabric-based technology capable of both high-fidelity contact sensing and lifelike touch reproduction, mimicking natural nerve endings. While robotic systems have advanced rapidly, many critical applications—such as surgery, delicate object manipulation, and human-robot interaction—still require tactile precision that current technologies lack. Vision-based feedback dominates the field but suffers from key limitations: no direct force sensing, susceptibility to occlusion, and latency from image processing. These issues limit responsiveness and hinder nuanced control. The team’s approach replaces visual dependence with micro-architected robotic fabrics that offer embedded tactile sensing and localized actuation. Developed by the PI’s group at Berkeley, with five patents filed and licensed, this technology enables direct measurement of contact forces and programmable haptic feedback across a surface, without relying on cameras. By restoring the missing tactile channel, it unlocks real-time touch perception and response, pushing robotic manipulation closer to human dexterity.