Demo: MoiréSkin: Ultra-Sensitive Sensor-Actuator Visuo-Tactile Skin Using Moiré Patterns

Abstract

Robots increasingly require dexterous manipulation capabilities in unstructured, real-world environments. However, existing visuo-tactile sensors, despite providing rich camera-based spatial measurements, often rely on rigid optical structures that limit force sensitivity, dynamic range, and active compliance regulation. This demo presents MoiréSkin, an inflatable visuo-tactile skin that uses flexible Moiré optics to unify ultra-sensitive tactile sensing, pneumatic self-sensing, and active compliance control. Its Moiré-encoded membrane distinguishes field-wide fringe rotations caused by inflation and deflation from localized fringe distortions induced by external contact. Attendees will also use a handheld Universal Manipulation Interface (UMI) gripper to grasp different objects while observing MoiréSkin's real-time tactile and actuation responses at the gripper-object interface.