Meta has announced a strategic partnership with GelSight, a leading sensor technology firm, and Wonik Robotics, a South Korean robotics company, to develop and commercialize tactile sensors tailored for artificial intelligence (AI) research.
This collaboration focuses on creating specialized devices aimed at advancing AI’s ability to “learn about the world in richer detail” and enhance its understanding of the physical environment.
The partnership will produce high-precision tactile sensors, including the upcoming Digit 360, which Meta describes as a “tactile fingertip with human-level multimodal sensing capabilities.”
Building upon the previous generation Digit sensor, Digit 360 uses an AI-enabled chip to digitize touch signals and is equipped with around 18 sensing features to detect environmental changes.
Designed for robust performance, this fingertip sensor leverages a wide-field optical system to capture omnidirectional deformations on its surface, allowing for an advanced analysis of touch interactions that considers mechanical, geometric, and even chemical properties.
The sensor can sense heat, detect vibrations, and even identify odours.
Meta has opened a call for proposals, allowing researchers to apply for early access to Digit 360, which is slated for public release next year.
In addition to GelSight, Meta is working with Wonik Robotics on an enhanced version of the Allegro Hand, a robotic hand embedded with tactile sensors like those in the Digit 360.
This updated Allegro Hand will integrate sensors and control boards to capture and encode data from touch interactions, which can then be processed by a host computer.
The Allegro Hand is also expected to be available by next year.
