National University of Singapore used Intel neuromorphic chip to develop touch-sensing robotic ‘skin’

During the virtually held Robotics: Science and Systems 2020 conference this week, scientists affiliated with the National University of Singapore (NUS) presented research that combines robotic vision and touch sensing with Intel-designed neuromorphic processors. The researchers claim the “electronic skin” — dubbed Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin (ACES) — can detect touches more than 1,000 times faster than the human nervous system and identify the shape, texture, and hardness of objects within 10 milliseconds. At the same time, ACES is designed to be modular and highly robust to damage, ensuring it can continue functioning as long as at least one sensor remains....