IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 115

A Small-Scale,
Rat-Inspired Whisker
Sensor for the Perception
of a Biomimetic Robot
Design, Fabrication, Modeling, and Experimental Characterization
By Yulai Zhang , Shurui Yan, Zihou Wei, Xuechao Chen ,
Toshio Fukuda , and Qing Shi
I
n this article, we present a rat-inspired whisker sensor for
a biomimetic robotic rat and demonstrate its superior
tactile perception performance. In particular, the design,
fabrication, modeling, and experimental characterization
are presented. The sensor is fabricated using siliconon-insulator
(SOI) technology. Moreover, by modeling
the whisker as a Euler-Bernoulli beam (EBB) using a
support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, we develop the
sensor's capability to identify object features. An experimental
evaluation demonstrates the sensor's outstanding texture
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2022.3182870
Date of current version: 7 July 2022
1070-9932/22©2022IEEE
discrimination ability (with an accuracy of 88.3%) and
excellent performance on contour reconstruction [with a
97.14% goodness of fit (GOF)]. In addition, by realizing
the robotic rat's wall-following motion using the whisker
sensor, many more features of a wall can be obtained
with high accuracy. As a result, this work is, to the best
of our knowledge, the first to achieve experimental
progress in using a whisker sensor to control a smallscale
robot on the order of a few tens of centimeters.
Moreover, the whisker sensor extends this off-the-shelf
SOI technology from micro to macro environments,
giving it the potential for use in other miniature robots
for tactile perception.
DECEMBER 2022 * IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE *
115
©SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/NAFEES ZIA

http://www.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/NAFEES https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6534-9698 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1136-3053 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3885-7152 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9914-7314

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022

Contents
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - Cover1
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - Cover2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - Contents
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 4
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 5
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 6
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 7
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 8
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 9
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 10
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 11
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 12
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 13
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 14
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 15
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 16
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 17
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 18
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 19
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 20
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 21
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 22
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 23
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 24
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 25
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 26
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 27
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 28
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 29
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 30
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 31
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 32
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 33
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 34
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 35
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 36
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 37
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 38
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 39
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 40
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 41
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 42
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 43
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 44
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 45
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 46
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 47
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 48
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 49
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 50
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 51
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 52
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 53
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 54
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 55
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 56
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 57
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 58
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 59
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 60
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 61
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 62
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 63
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 64
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 65
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 66
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 67
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 68
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 69
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 70
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 71
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 72
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 73
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 74
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 75
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 76
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 77
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 78
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 79
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 80
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 81
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 82
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 83
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 84
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 85
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 86
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 87
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 88
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 89
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 90
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 91
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 92
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 93
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 94
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 95
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 96
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 97
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 98
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 99
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 100
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 101
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 102
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 103
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 104
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 105
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 106
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 107
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 108
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 109
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 110
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 111
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 112
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 113
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 114
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 115
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 116
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 117
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 118
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 119
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 120
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 121
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 122
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 123
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 124
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 125
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 126
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 127
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 128
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 129
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 130
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 131
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 132
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 133
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 134
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 135
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 136
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 137
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 138
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 139
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 140
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 141
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 142
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 143
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 144
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 145
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 146
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 147
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 148
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 149
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 150
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 151
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 152
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 153
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 154
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 155
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 156
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 157
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 158
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 159
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 160
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 161
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 162
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 163
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - 164
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - Cover3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2010
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com