A color-based sensor to emulate skin’s sensitivity

Robotics researchers have made significant progress in developing sensors that can detect changes in position, pressure, and temperature. However, one area where robotics has struggled is in achieving the ability to sense multiple stimuli simultaneously, which is a hallmark of human perception.

In the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab (RRL) at EPFL’s School of Engineering, Jamie Paik and her colleagues have developed a sensor called ChromoSense that can perceive combinations of bending, stretching, compression, and temperature changes. The technology relies on a translucent rubber cylinder with three sections dyed red, green, and blue. An LED sends light through the core of the cylinder, and changes in the light’s path through the colors are detected by a miniaturized spectral meter.

Paik explains that ChromoSense works similarly to drinking three different flavors of slushie through three different straws at once. The proportions of each flavor change when the straws are bent or twisted. The sensor perceives changes in light traveling through the colored sections as the sections deform.

The device also includes a thermosensitive section that can detect temperature changes using a special dye that changes color when heated. ChromoSense has a simple mechanical structure and utilizes color instead of cameras, making it potentially suitable for inexpensive mass production.

Paik believes that ChromoSense could have applications in various fields, including assistive technologies, athletic gear, and clothing. The sensor can provide users with feedback about their movements and form. However, one challenge the researchers are currently working on is decoupling simultaneously applied stimuli.

Paik plans to continue improving the technology and experimenting with different formats for ChromoSense. She envisions it being used in various shapes, such as cylindrical or flat, depending on the specific application. With ChromoSense, Paik believes that anything can become a sensor as long as light can pass through it.



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