Scientists have developed a hybrid robotic skin that combines electrical impedance tomography with pneumatic pressure sensing in an effort to improve force detection across large areas of a humanoid robot, as highlighted by RoboSkin.
Described in a preprint published in May 2026, the system uses electrical impedance tomography (EIT) to determine where contact occurs, while four sealed pneumatic pads provide an estimate of the force being applied.
Combining the two sensing methods is intended to address a limitation of large-area EIT-based tactile sensors, where sensitivity can vary depending on the location of contact. [Read more…] about Scientists combine EIT and pneumatic sensing for humanoid robot skin