Research
Open problems we’re working on.
Robots still struggle with things that bend. These are the questions we think matter most, and the ones we are working on.
Research agenda
Research agenda
Tactile representations that transfer
Touch features that carry across different sensors and different robot hands.
From human hands to robot actions
Mapping human demonstrations to robot actions through object motion and finger contact.
World models that predict contact
Models that predict contact events (slip, seating, layer separation), not just pixels.
Benchmarks that are fair to vision
Shared benchmarks that measure touch against strong vision-only baselines.
How we measure
A shared yardstick for touch.
Our Tactile Manipulation Task Taxonomy v1.0 defines fifteen atomic tasks where touch decides success, the six tactile skills they demand, and how each one is measured. Customer jobs are sequences of these tasks, so every result is comparable. It defines tasks and metrics; it does not report results.
See it applied to AI data centersR1
Force-window grasp
Hold firmly enough to keep it, gently enough not to crush, tear or mark it.
R2
Slip reflex
Feel slip begin and correct before the object visibly moves or falls.
R3
Contact-guided seating
Find, align and seat a part by feel where the camera can’t see, and detect the moment it seats.
R4
Sustained contact tracing
Hold a target force while moving along a path: pressing, smoothing, sealing, tracing an edge.
R5
Tension and shape control
Shape a flexible object through the tension at the grasp points: stretch, coil, untangle, tuck.
R6
Tactile verification
Confirm by touch that a step succeeded (held, single item, seated, sealed) before moving on.
All fifteen atomic tasks
00Verified hold and transportRigid
Confirming by touch that an item is held, and keeping it held through transport, handover and release.
R1R2R6
01Cable seating in a channel1D Linear
Pressing a cable or wire bundle into a groove, channel or row of retaining clips along a defined path.
R3R4R5R6
02Connector mating by feel1D Linear
Grasping a connector on a flexible lead, aligning it to its mate, and inserting until the latch engages.
R1R3R6
03Snap-fit fasteningRigid
Pushing a clip, fir-tree fastener or push-pin through a hole until it snaps home.
R1R3R6
04Cable coiling and bundling1D Linear
Winding a loose cord into a compact coil of a target size and securing it for packing.
R2R5R6
05Tangled pick and singulation1D Linear
Extracting one cable from a pile of entangled cables, sensing and resolving snags as it lifts.
R2R5R6
06Single-ply sheet pick2D Sheet
Picking exactly one thin flexible sheet from a stack and confirming only one was taken.
R1R2R3R6
07Bag opening2D Sheet
Finding the opening of a flexible bag or pouch, separating the two walls, and holding the mouth open.
R1R2R3R6
08Fill and seal2D Sheet
Placing an item into an open flexible package and closing it by peel strip, zipper or fold.
R1R3R4R6
09Wrinkle-free laydown2D Sheet
Laying a flexible sheet onto a surface and pressing it flat so it bonds without wrinkles or bubbles.
R3R4R5R6
10Tensioned edge tuck2D Sheet
Pulling a fabric or trim edge to a target tension and tucking or hooking it into a retainer.
R2R3R5R6
11Compliant press-fit3D Volume
Pushing a compressible insert into a cavity until it is fully seated, without tearing or crushing it.
R1R3R4R6
12Grommet and seal seating3D Volume
Pressing a rubber grommet, plug or edge seal into a hole or onto a flange until its lip locks.
R1R3R4R6
13Force-window grasp3D Volume
Grasping a soft or fragile item with enough force to hold it and not so much that it is damaged.
R1R2R6
14Contact-triggered placement3D Volume
Lowering an item into a container and releasing it at the moment it is supported.
R1R3R6
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