Tactile Robotics: Past and Future

We are witnessing a revolution in humanoid robotics. But to be truly useful a humanoid needs a functional pair of hands, and for hands to be useful they need a human-like sense of touch. This talk gives a historical perspective on tactile sensing in robotics. This history is characterized by a succession of generations: 1965–79 (origins), 1980–94 (foundations and growth), 1995–2009 (tactile winter), and 2010–2024 (expansion and diversification). Recent expansion has led to diverse themes emerging of e-skins, tactile robotic hands, vision-based tactile sensing, soft/biomimetic touch, and the tactile Internet. In the next generation from 2025, tactile robotics could mature to widespread commercial use, with applications in human-like dexterity, understanding human intelligence, and telepresence impacting all robotics and AI. 
Accompanying article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02783649261421615
See also: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg7y45kxvp9o