Digger Finger senses and identifies hidden objects

News

MIT researchers have developed Digger Finger, a sharp-tipped robot finger equipped with tactile sensing to that allows it to identify buried objects.

In experiments, Digger Finger dug through granular media such as sand and rice, correctly sensing the shapes of items it encountered. The researchers said the robot might one day perform various subterranean duties, such as finding buried cables or disarming buried bombs.

The research will be presented at the next International Symposium on Experimental Robotics. The study's lead author is Radhen Patel, a postdoc in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). Co-authors include CSAIL PhD student Branden Romero, Harvard University PhD student Nancy Ouyang, and Edward Adelson, the John and Dorothy Wilson Professor of Vision Science in CSAIL and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Portable surface-capture tool could find use in forensics

Ground Penetrating Radar and ultrasound can be used to identify buried objects, but these techniques provide a hazy view of them.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address