Towards Artificial Nerves: Biomimetic Optical-Fiber Tactile Sensing for Robots

arXiv:2607.15746v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Robotic systems increasingly demand tactile sensing that approaches the adaptability and resolution of human skin to enable dexterous manipulation and safe interaction. OptiTac is a biomimetic tactile sensor that emulates the mechanoreceptor-to-nerve architecture of human touch by pairing each mechanical pin on a soft skin with an optical fiber acting as an artificial nerve. This design demonstrates an architectural principle for routing tactile in...