This paper introduces a soft magnetoelectric finger (SMF) designed for multidirectional tactile sensing in robots, particularly useful in non-visual environments. The SMF, comprising a flexible sheath with liquid metal coils and a magnet, generates signals based on changes in magnetic flux due to external forces. Maxwell's equations and numerical simulations are used to explain the generated voltages. The SMF effectively distinguishes forces from various directions and identifies six different objects with varying Young's moduli, achieving 97.46% accuracy. Black box exploration experiments demonstrate its suitability for complex environment navigation.

Yizhuo Xu, Shanfei Zhang, Shuya Li, Zhenhua Wu, Yike Li, Zhuofan Li, Xiaojun Chen, Congcan Shi, Peng Chen, Pengyu Zhang, Michael D. Dickey, Bin Su