The interaction and cooperation between humans and robots will be given an increasing role in industry, service and surgery. Here, humans and robots share a common work space. To enable secure collaboration between human, robot and environment, the robot has to be equipped with sensory functions to ensure the reliable detection of the user and the surrounding environment.
This project (funded by the DFG) aims in developing a new sensing system which is able to detect the proximity of the human user and the surrounding environment. In the case of a physical contact between the robot and the environment, the sensor shall be able to gather the contact pressure profile of the contact.
Using appropriate algorithms, the measured values of the proximity sensors are to be processed together in order to derive the approaching geometric shapes. This data will be fused with the tactile information to classify the type of imminent contact, or in the contact case, the existing contact.  The surface and the gripping system of the robot are to be covered with these sensors.