WiReSens Toolkit: An Open-source Platform towards Accessible Wireless Tactile Sensing

Abstract

Past research has widely explored the design and fabrication of resistive matrix-based tactile sensors as a means of creating touch-sensitive devices. However, developing portable, adaptive, and long-lasting tactile sensing systems that incorporate these sensors remains challenging for individuals having limited prior experience with them. To address this, we developed the WiReSens Toolkit, an open-source platform for accessible wireless tactile sensing. Central to our approach is adaptive hardware for interfacing with resistive sensors and a web-based GUI that mediates access to complex functionalities for developing scalable tactile sensing systems, including 1) multi-device programming and wireless visualization across three distinct communication protocols 2) autocalibration methods for adaptive sensitivity and 3) intermittent data transmission for low-power operation. We validated the toolkit's usability through a user study with 11 novice participants, who, on average, successfully configured a tactile sensor with over 95\% accuracy in under five minutes, calibrated sensors 10x faster than baseline methods, and demonstrated enhanced tactile data sense-making.