Building the Open-Source Future of Tactile Robotics
- Dr. Vlad Ivan
- Sep 12
- 2 min read
At Touchlab Robotics, we believe the next frontier in robotics is the sense of touch. Our mission is to make this vision a reality by building a robust, open-source ecosystem that simplifies the integration of tactile sensors and electronic skin into robot grippers and hands.
Open-Source Drivers and Robot Models
We're excited to release our open-source drivers and robot models for Touchlab's advanced tactile sensors. All of our code is available on GitHub, including our C++, ROS drivers, and robot models. Our Python drivers are also readily available on Pip. This isn't just a code release; it's an invitation to the global community of researchers, developers, and robotics companies to collaborate with us. For an example of what's possible, check out our recent blog post on AI-driven tactile manipulation, which demonstrates a practical application of our open-source software.
Maintaining and Expanding Gripper Support
To make it easier for the community to build on stable foundations, we're taking on the maintenance of drivers and robot models for some of the most popular robotic grippers, including:
Allegro v4: [C++][ROS2][models][docs]
OnRobot 2FG7: [C++][ROS2][models][docs]
We ensure reliable, well-maintained software for these platforms, making it easier for you to innovate.
A Commitment to Quality and Modularity
We're as serious about software engineering as we are about hardware innovation. Our drivers are built to high-quality standards with clear architecture, modularity, and extensibility in mind. Each driver is a native C++ library with a command-line interface, complete with Python bindings and interfaces for both ROS 1 and ROS 2. This design makes our tools accessible across a wide range of development workflows.
Integration with Shadow Robot Hands
Our next major step is to bring Touchlab's tactile fingertips to the Shadow Robot Dexterous Hand and Dexterous Hand Lite. This integration will enable researchers to combine world-class dexterity with our high-resolution tactile sensing, pushing the boundaries of manipulation research and real-world robotic applications.
Supporting the Open-Source Robotics Community
Robotics is a collaborative field, and we're proud to be active contributors to and supporters of initiatives like ROS, LeRobot, and ARK. By sharing our work openly, we hope to accelerate progress and enable new levels of innovation in tactile robotics.
Join Us at ROSCon UK in Edinburgh
We're thrilled to release our open-source ecosystem at the first-ever ROSCon UK in Edinburgh. Stop by our stand to see a live demo of our tactile technology in action and learn how you can get started with our open-source drivers and tools.
