# Minsight: A Fingertip-Sized Vision-Based Tactile Sensor for Robotic Manipulation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.10990 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.10990/

## Key facts

- Cited by 5 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 21 Apr 2023.

## Built on by (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [Learning Force Distribution Estimation for the GelSight Mini Optical Tactile Sensor Based on Finite Element Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.03315/) (2024)
- [The Role of Tactile Sensing for Learning Reach and Grasp](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.20367/) (2025)
- [A Modularized Design Approach for GelSight Family of Vision-based Tactile Sensors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.14739/) (2025)
- [More with LESS -- Local Scene Representations for Tactile Imaging](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.14344/) (2026)
- [Contact-Based Fringe Projection Profilometry for High-Resolution 3-D Surface Measurement of Reflective and Transparent Objects](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.17438/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Intelligent interaction with the physical world requires perceptual abilities beyond vision and hearing; vibrant tactile sensing is essential for autonomous robots to dexterously manipulate unfamiliar objects or safely contact humans. Therefore, robotic manipulators need high-resolution touch sensors that are compact, robust, inexpensive, and efficient. The soft vision-based haptic sensor presented herein is a miniaturized and optimized version of the previously published sensor Insight. Minsight has the size and shape of a human fingertip and uses machine learning methods to output high-resolution maps of 3D contact force vectors at 60 Hz. Experiments confirm its excellent sensing performance, with a mean absolute force error of 0.07 N and contact location error of 0.6 mm across its surface area. Minsight's utility is shown in two robotic tasks on a 3-DoF manipulator. First, closed-loop force control enables the robot to track the movements of a human finger based only on tactile data. Second, the informative value of the sensor output is shown by detecting whether a hard lump is embedded within a soft elastomer with an accuracy of 98%. These findings indicate that Minsight can give robots the detailed fingertip touch sensing needed for dexterous manipulation and physical human-robot interaction.