Q: What is GelSight Mini?
A: GelSight Mini is the world’s first, commercially available, human resolution touch sensor. Mini offers a webapp which includes 2D and 3D images across the Windows, MacOS and Linux platforms, in addition to ROS and PyTouch for roboticists.
Q: Who is GelSight Mini for?
A: GelSight Mini was originally created for use by roboticists, corporate R&D and academia. It was therefore carefully designed to be comfortably used by hand or attached robots. We encourage you to experiment with the code and come up with novel ideas for how to use your Mini. Engage with other touch sensing enthusiasts here.
Q: Is there a specific order I need to connect my GelSight Mini to my computer?
A: GelSight Mini can be connected to your computer any time. If the webapp is live capturing images, you need to make the USB connection to your Mini first, then your computer. If you connect to your computer first, you can refresh your browser and live capture will begin.
Q: Why does GelSight Mini need permission to use a camera?
A: The webapp provisions the GelSight Mini as a webcam. This allows for convenient and fast streaming of the images from the GelSight Mini camera to your computer. It also allows for interesting possibilities for sharing. For example, “GelSight Mini” can be selected as a camera on a Zoom call, allowing for direct, live sharing of the image output.
Q: Does GelSight Mini work with a smartphone?
A: The GelSight Mini webapp was created to support PC platforms on launch. In the future, smartphone compatibility could be possible. Let us know here or make your own app and share with us!
Q: What can I do with GelSight Mini on the webapp?
A: The webapp was designed to give users something to do immediately on launch of their device. It has built in Artificial Intelligence Identification of United States coins and M3-M6 screws for international users. The webapp also has a frame grabber for use by roboticists, the ability to capture images and streamlined sharing to social platforms. The purpose is to have a fun learning experience to then move on and use the images for your own computer vision-based applications, such as robotics, User Interface, surface analysis, etc!
Q: I refreshed my browser and lost my captured images?
A: The webapp does not currently have identity and cloud storage. The user must elect to download the images to their computer before leaving or refreshing the site to prevent losing the images held in RAM during a session.
Q: Is GelSight Mini compatible with GelSight MobileTM analytics software packages?
A: GelSight Mobile is a surface analytics software platform created for our GelSight Mobile Series 1 and Series 2 products. GelSight Mini was designed for a different user and is not compatible with this software package.
Q: My GelSight Mini feels warm to the touch. Is it safe?
A: GelSight Mini was designed to have a maximum steady state case temperature of 48deg C (XX deg F) when used in a typical indoor lab environment of 22-23°C. A chart of temperature rise with use can be found by visiting the link provided here. Product design can never predict all use conditions and we all have the experience of handheld electronics warming up in certain environments. If you find your Mini uncomfortable to hold, please immediately cease using and disconnect from your computer. For extended handheld use, an isolating grip made for attachment to a Mini can be found in the gelsightmini.com app, or an external heat sink can be mounted to the case to bring down surface temperatures on the case. As the case is made of aluminum, a small heat sink attached in any convenient location should help. Robotics users will create additional heat sinking if attached to a robot or cobot and should have no problems with sustained use in this application.
Q: How can I connect and share with other users of GelSight Mini?
A: The webapp has direct, social sharing app functionality built in. GelSight has also created forums to share work with each other here, created a GitHub for our robotics projects located here and PyTouch, which supports GelSight Mini, is a community of touch enthusiasts first created by Meta and supported by GelSight through DIGIT and now GelSight Mini.
Q: Where can I find more technical information about GelSight Mini?
A: Please visit GelSight Mini in our Online Store or download the GelSight Mini product sheet here.
Q: What is the warranty for GelSight Mini?
A: 1 yr limited warranty.