An electronic fingerprint device based on spiral patterned tactile pixel array for augmented human-machine interactions

Human-machine interface (HMI) devices with tactile sensing capabilities can increase both the accuracy and diversity of interaction activities. To date, the high-accuracy extraction of slippage characteristics, including both direction and displacement, remains a key challenge in HMI devices. Herein, we propose an enhanced electronic fingerprint (E-fingerprint) device that can simultaneously detect normal force, slippage direction and displacement for effective and augmented human-robot interactions. This device consists of a force-sensitive unit and a pixel array with 12×12 tactile pixels distributed in Fermat spiral pattern inspired by sunflower seeds, which highly improves the accuracy of slippage direction and displacement to 0.85° and 0.091 mm, respectively. By applying this E-fingerprint in robotic manipulation, the detected slippage can be restricted within an ideal range. A demonstration of remote writing indicates its promising performances in complicated interactive tasks. This high-accuracy E-fingerprint not only enhances the reliability of human-robot interactions but also improves interaction accuracy. The advancement of human–machine interfaces relies on wearable tactile devices that combine flexibility with portability. Jin et al. present an electronic fingerprint device capable of simultaneously detecting normal force, slippage direction, and displacement, enabling enhanced human–robot interactions.