Researchers at the University of Cambridge have introduced a robotic sensor incorporating artificial intelligence techniques that can read Braille at speeds surpassing most human readers.

The team, using machine learning algorithms, taught the robotic sensor to swiftly navigate Braille text lines, achieving an impressive reading speed of 315 words per minute with nearly 90per cent accuracy.

While not initially intended as assistive technology, the heightened sensitivity required for Braille reading positions it as a potential milestone in the advancement of robot hands or prosthetics mirroring human fingertip capabilities.

Professor Fumiya Iida's lab at Cambridge's Department of Engineering addresses the challenge of reproducing human fingertip sensitivity in robotic hands efficiently.

The breakthrough has implications not only for Braille but also for broader applications, such as detecting surface textures or slippage in robotic manipulation.

Supported in part by the Samsung Global Research Outreach Program, the researchers aspire to scale this technology to the size of a humanoid hand or skin, marking a stride in the convergence of artificial intelligence and tactile sensing systems.