Should robots use the concept of whiskers more?

Mother nature has used this efficient solution for sensory input, navigation, and spatial awareness since time immemorial.  The illustrious list of champion whisker-users includes mice, dogs, seals, catfish, and everyone's favorite internet sensation, the house cat.

The energy-intensive and CPU-hungry strategies that most robots today seem to use for getting around -- like image recognition, RF sensing, and GPS -- could easily be replaced or supplemented by cheap and lightweight whisker arrays.

Image credits (top left to bottom right):

• Roomba robot vacuum cleaner from iRobot
• Legged Squad Support robot from Boston Dynamics
• Whiskers the Cat
• Self Driving Car from Google
• Baxter from Rethink Robotics

CATEGORY: Technology, Robotics 

IDEATION: June 18, 2016