Area Touch Sensor for Dexterous Manipulation (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Area Touch Sensor for Dexterous Manipulation

Some local processing of signals, such as inhibition of a sensing cell by its neighbors, is likely, but far less processing takes place than in the retina of the eye. Specialized sensitivities, such as signals in response to a particular motion across the surface of the skin, have been reported, but it is not known if such signals come from special sensing cells or from local processing. Different regions of the skin show different absolute and relative densities of the various types of sensing cells, resulting in different capabilities and acuities in different body regions. In some regions of the skin no more than mm separates sensors of a particular type, but spacing of several millimeters is more common. Experiments have shown that sens ing systems become less sensitive just before and during active motion.