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Jin et al. Soft Sci 2023;3:8 Soft Science
DOI: 10.20517/ss.2022.34

Review Article Open Access

Progress on flexible tactile sensors in robotic

applications on objects properties recognition,
manipulation and human-machine interactions

1
1
1
1,2
Jie Jin , Shihang Wang , Zhongtan Zhang , Deqing Mei , Yancheng Wang 1,2, *
1
State Key Lab of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou
310027, Zhejiang, China.
2
Key Laboratory of Advanced Manufacturing Technology of Zhejiang Province, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang
University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang, China.
*Correspondence to: Prof./Dr. Yancheng Wang, State Key Lab of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical
Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang, China. E-mail: yanchwang@zju.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Jin J, Wang S, Zhang Z, Mei D, Wang Y. Progress on flexible tactile sensors in robotic applications on
objects properties recognition, manipulation and human-machine interactions. Soft Sci 2023;3:8.
https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/ss.2022.34

Received: 31 Dec 2022 First Decision: 28 Jan 2023 Revised: 13 Feb 2023 Accepted: 27 Feb 2023 Published: 14 Mar 2023
Academic Editors: Chengkuo Lee, Tianyiyi He Copy Editor: Fangling Lan Production Editor: Fangling Lan

Abstract
The robotic with integrated tactile sensors can accurately perceive contact force, pressure, vibration, temperature
and other tactile stimuli. Flexible tactile sensing technologies have been widely utilized in intelligent robotics for
stable grasping, dexterous manipulation, object recognition and human-machine interaction. This review presents
promising flexible tactile sensing technologies and their potential applications in robotics. The significance of
robotic sensing and tactile sensing performance requirements are first described. The commonly used six types of
sensing mechanisms of tactile sensors are briefly illustrated, followed by the progress of novel structural design
and performance characteristics of several promising tactile sensors, such as highly sensitive pressure and tri-axis
force sensor, flexible distributed sensor array, and multi-modal tactile sensor. Then, the applications of using tactile
sensors in robotics such as object properties recognition, grasping and manipulation, and human-machine
interactions are thoroughly discussed. Finally, the challenges and future prospects of robotic tactile sensing
technologies are discussed. In summary, this review will be conducive to the novel design of flexible tactile sensors
and is a heuristic for developing the next generation of intelligent robotics with advanced tactile sensing functions
in the future.

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
indicate if changes were made.

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