Sensing & Ranging
Provide sensing technology which outperforms the human senses
Tactile Sensing
Tactile sense, otherwise known as the sense of touch, is one of the reasons why humans can perform dexterous operations. Looking ahead to the era in which robots work harmoniously alongside people, we are developing multimodal sensors that can detect force distribution with precision, and solutions that make those sensors easier for customers to utilize. By acquiring a human-like sense of touch, robots will be able to hold objects without dropping them and handle tools adeptly as if they were extensions of themselves, in addition to understanding unstructured environments, textures of material surfaces and even the ability to recognize the emotions of humans. Tactile sensing technology can be applied to various business fields such as entertainments and sports.
Inertial Measurement Unit
An inertial measurement unit (IMU) is used to track the movement of people and objects. It consists of an accelerometer and a gyroscope. It is applied to camera stabilization and drone attitude control, given that it is capable of responding to rapid movements. The IMU can be used in a wide range of environments including underground, in the deep sea and in space. The technical challenge associated with IMUs is reducing drift. If there is even a slight error in the sensor, the position and orientation errors will diverge over time. To overcome this problem, Sony has developed a technology whereby multiple IMUs are synthesized to eliminate this drift. Our goal is the realization of a compact, lightweight, high-precision IMU that allows the realization of highly-accurate motion-tracking applications.
