Robots that share our spaces require proprioception and a sense of touch

Abstract

Imagine stepping away from your desk and reaching out for your office's light switch with your eyes closed. You might manage to complete the task successfully but might instead hit the corner of your desk or knock over the coffee mug your colleague just left behind. Your ability to successfully find the light switch while dodging these obstacles will depend on your sense of touch and your proprioception-your capacity to conceive of your body's orientation in space. Like humans, the next generation of robots designed to operate around people need to have accurate touch and proprioception in order to safely and successfully function.