VecTile: A Low-Cost Flexible Tactile Array for 3-DoF Force Sensing

Abstract

Tactile sensing provides robots with contact information difficult to obtain from vision alone. Shear force is particularly important for understanding tangential contact, guiding corrective motions, and maintaining grasp stability, yet flexible and low-cost tactile arrays often measure only normal force. We introduce VecTile, a low-cost, 6 mm thin, flexible tactile array capable of three-axis force sensing. VecTile combines a piezoresistive layer with passive silicone nubs that convert normal and shear forces into distinguishable pressure patterns. The sensor can be fabricated in-house without specialized equipment. The complete system costs less than 35 USD for a 4x4 array. We validate the sensing mechanism through finite element analysis and hardware experiments. In controlled single-taxel tests over 1-5 N normal force and up to 1.5 N shear force, VecTile achieves root-mean-square errors of 0.39 N and 0.16 N for normal and shear forces. A VecTile calibrated while flat retains accuracy when curved, while a five-minute manual calibration is sufficient for practical use. Two applications demonstrate its utility. First, shear readings are sensitive enough to stop a sharp scalpel from puncturing a balloon after contact. Second, the sensor substantially improves Diffusion Policy-guided power-plug insertion. All designs and code will be released upon paper acceptance. Project website: https://jiannnh.github.io/VecTile/.