Eye-inspired robotic sensor senses distant objects and delicate touch

Researchers at South China University of Technology have developed a novel flexible capacitive sensor array inspired by the human eye’s adaptive vision, enabling robots to both detect distant objects and sense delicate touch with a single sensor. Traditional robotic sensors face a trade-off: small electrodes offer high-resolution tactile sensing but limited range, while larger electrodes detect objects farther away but lack fine sensitivity. This new design incorporates a dynamic shielding layer above the electrode array, allowing the sensor to switch between long-range proximity detection and precise tactile sensing by electrically adjusting and masking the electrodes without changing their physical size. This approach more than doubled the maximum detection depth compared to conventional dual-mode sensors, achieving a 104.56% increase in sensing range. In practical tests, the sensor detected objects over 90 mm away—sufficient for a robot to avoid collisions with humans—and could also register very light touches of just a few grams while tolerating pressures up to 400 kPa. These capabilities promise safer and more versatile robotic systems in environments where machines