Contactile
"A Human Sense of Touch"
Australian developer of optical multimodal tactile sensors and smart grippers giving robots a human sense of touch for dexterous manipulation.
Contactile is a Sydney-based deep-tech company founded in 2019 that develops tactile sensors and smart end-effectors to give robots a human sense of touch, enabling dexterity and physical AI. Its technology, invented at UNSW Sydney with funding from the Australian Research Council and the US Office of Naval Research Global, uses a patented optical sensing method built around the PapillArray: an array of soft silicone pillars that each deflect independently. Each pillar senses localised 3D deflection, 3D force and 3D vibration, and from the distribution of forces across the array the system derives global 3D force, 3D torque, the onset of incipient slip, and friction in real time. This lets robotic grippers apply optimal force, prevent slip and avoid crushing objects without per-object customisation.
The product line includes the PapillArray Tactile Sensor Development Kit for research, single 3D force tactile sensors available in 18 configurations, force/torque sensors, and the GAL2 tactile-native two-finger angular gripper with autonomous adaptive gripping controllable via buttons, C++, Python, ROS/ROS2 and UR Cap. The sensors are customisable, modular, waterproof, chemical/heat/shock resistant and food-safe. Contactile counts humanoid and robotics developers and major technology firms among its clients and was named winner of the Robotics Australia Group Excellence in Robotics Awards (Industrial Robotics) in 2026. The company sells globally through distributors in China, Hong Kong and India.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
PapillArray Tactile Sensor Development Kit
Dual 3x3 tactile sensor array kit with controller measuring 3D force, torque, slip and friction for R&D.
GAL2 2-Finger Angular Gripper
Tactile-native angular gripper with autonomous adaptive gripping from real-time tactile feedback.
3D Force Tactile Sensor
High-performance digital soft tactile sensor measuring all three components of force.
Contact Contactile
WEBSITE
https://contactile.comHEADQUARTERS
Australia
Company Facts
Founded
2019
Primary Role
Component Supplier
Company Size
-
Primary Region
Oceania
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
Certifications & Memberships
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Robotics
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Robotics Automation AI
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Robotics Automation AI
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Robotics Automation AI
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Contactile Introduces Friction-Based Tactile Sensors for Enhanced Robot World Models
Contactile has developed tactile sensors for robotic hands and grippers that enhance world models in robotics. These sensors address the limitations of current conditioning methods, which primarily rely on visual inputs and joint encoders, by incorporating friction as a critical input. This advancement is essential for improving robots' ability to generalize across various surfaces and objects. The significance of this development lies in its potential to transform robot learning. By making friction a first-class input, robots can better predict the outcomes of their actions and adapt to novel tasks without extensive memorization. This shift could lead to more capable robotic systems that can operate effectively in contact-rich environments, where traditional conditioning methods fall short. Looking ahead, the integration of Contactile's tactile sensors into robotic systems could revolutionize how robots interact with their environments. As the field of robot learning continues to evolve, the emphasis on accurate conditioning will be crucial for deploying effective world models. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence / Cognition Assembly Design / Development End Effectors / Grippers Grippers
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