Kiyosu, Japan, February 5, 2020: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. will exhibit e-Rubber, a next-generation rubber that moves with electricity, at RoboDEX (Robot Development & Application Expo),to be held onFebruary 12–14 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan.

One of the main exhibits will be a barista robot that makes coffee. The robot is equipped with a tactile hand in which e-Rubber sensors are used to give the robot hand a tactile sense. This hand can sense the shape and softness of objects, an ability that conventional robots have lacked.

Visitors will also be able to experience Toyoda Gosei’s new AR + e-Rubber haptics technology that adds the sense of touch to images (sight) and sound (hearing) in augmented reality (AR). This is an area that is expected to grow dramatically with the spread of 5G wireless technology. This application attracted many visitors at CES 2020 in January, and will be exhibited for the first time in Japan at RoboDEX.

Main exhibits

Barista robot

This robot combines Toyoda Gosei’s tactile hand, made with light, flexible and sensitive e-Rubber sensors, and a robot system created by QBIT Robotics Corp.

QBIT Robotics is a startup that develops systems centered on collaborative robots that work together with humans for use in the service industry, including food service and entertainment, and provides robotics services that can help to solve social issues such as labor shortages.

AR + e-Rubber haptics

Taking advantage of the strengths of e-Rubber as both an actuator and a sensor, this device can simulate the tactile sensation felt when a person touches an object. Visitors will experience life-like tactile sensations, such as softness, of objects drawn with computer graphics.