I can has nanotube? Scientists create cat-like ‘whiskers’ for robots

I can has nanotube? Scientists create cat-like ‘whiskers’ for robots

New electronic whiskers are 10x more sensitive than anything previously developed

In news that’s sure to collapse the very fabric of the internet, a team lead by Ali Javey, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences University of California, Berkeley is one step closer to creating a synthetic cat that somehow cares even less for your existence than your real cat. They’ve developed electronic “whiskers” capable of greatly improving the sensitivity and mobility of things like robots and artificial skin.

In cats, whiskers play a large role in support of their seemingly supernatural stealth and navigation abilities. Sensitive enough to detect even the slightest breeze, cats’ whiskers help fill in sensory information in normal daylight (cats actually have relatively poor eyesight compared to humans in normal light conditions). In low light, where cats are famous for their ability to see more clearly than humans, whiskers help them navigate by detecting obstacles and tight spaces.

Made up of silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes and printed on elastic fibers, scientists hope the robotic “whiskers” could help improve the function of all sorts of robotic devices. Your Roomba, for instance, might not be so clumsy once outfitted with a super sensitive set of whiskers.

“We can use this kind of device in many kinds of applications,” said researcher Dr. Kuniharu Takei, of Osaka Prefecture University in Japan. “Even if a robot can’t see an object it can detect spatial distribution by using this device on the side of its arm or foot.”

The whiskers are incredibly sensitive, reportedly ten times more sensitive than any similar technology developed previously. This sensitivity is achieved by registering the tiniest changes in the distance between the nanoparticles created when the whisker bends. The addition of the carbon nanotubes helps increase the range of pressure detected by the whisker.

Moving forward, the research team hopes that the new electronic whiskers can be used to improve human-robot interactions when used in artificial skin. After all, hairs on human skin react in a similar (albeit less sensitive) manner to cat whiskers, detecting contact and small movements near the skin.

“The sensing mechanism is quite different, but the functionality is very similar,” Javey says.

Other applications? How about using the “whiskers” to improve stability in underwater vehicles, similar to the way fish use their lateral lines? The whiskers can be tuned across a broad spectrum of sensitivity, so the possibilities are tremendous.

And yes, we can’t rule out the obvious: Robot pet cats.

Be social, please share!

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *