OpenTouch
Connect a supported USB sensor, grant access, and use a calm, focused workspace for preview, capture, recording, and quick review.
A project from LASR Lab, TU Dresden.
Waits for a supported USB sensor and prompts for permission.
Take photos, record videos, and save straight to the gallery.
Camera opens with a live preview shaped for the sensor.
Pick a model from the AI selector, that helps to process the image of the sensor.
Swipe through to see each capability inside the app.
Technical notes
The app also surfaces FPS and resolution information, supports sensor-specific preview shapes, and keeps the AI selector as a placeholder for future on-device features.
Get OpenTouch from the Google Play Store, then install it on a compatible Android device.
Plug in a DIGIT or GelSight Mini sensor through USB host mode.
Android asks for camera and USB permission, then the app verifies the connected hardware.
Use the capture button, open the gallery, or adjust FPS and RGB settings as needed.
Select the AI placeholder in the capture menu to preview on-device model support — see the Models section below.
The full training pipelines and model library are still on the way. In the meantime, OpenTouch already supports bringing your own on-device model — here's how it works.
AI features need the Play Store build
ONNX Runtime ships as a Play Feature Delivery dynamic module, so a sideloaded APK (one installed without going through Google Play or an App Bundle installer) won't include the AI or model-import feature at all.
A model is an image classifier exported to ONNX, paired with a JSON config of the same base name
— for example key_finger.onnx and key_finger.json.
Models aren't bundled in the app
OpenTouch doesn't ship models inside the APK. It reads them at runtime from
Android/data/com.opentouch.sensorapp/files/models/ on the device.
Every model's JSON config needs these fields. Example based on key_finger.json:
{
"input_width": 224,
"input_height": 224,
"color_order": "RGB",
"mean": [0.485, 0.456, 0.406],
"std": [0.229, 0.224, 0.225],
"labels": ["key", "finger"],
"output_type": "logits"
}"RGB"."logits".
Download a packaged <name>.opentouchmodel file — a zip of
model.onnx and model.json, renamed. OpenTouch is registered as the Android
file handler for .opentouchmodel / application/vnd.opentouch.model, so
tapping the downloaded file on the phone opens the app and imports it automatically.
From the app's AI menu, use "Import model files" and pick a matching .onnx and
.json pair directly.
Two OpenTouch models you can download and import today.
General-purpose demo model for exploring the OpenTouch pipeline.
Key vs. finger classifier — a proof-of-concept model, trained on 13 images.
.opentouchmodel file using the app's model-packaging script, available
in the project's public GitHub repo.
.opentouchmodel file — tapping it on an Android device imports it automatically.OpenTouch is built for local USB workflows with these supported tactile sensors.
Compact tactile imaging for live preview, capture, and recording.
A wider tactile sensing format for capturing contact and surface detail.
Detailed 2D and 3D surface mapping with live visualization for roboticists.
How sensor support works
OpenTouch checks the connected USB device before opening the preview, then exposes the capture controls and sensor-specific workflow locally on Android.
OpenTouch is heading to the Google Play Store. The listing isn't live yet, so the button below opens a Play Store search for now — check back soon for the direct listing.
What to expect on first launch
You’ll briefly see the splash screen, then the app opens the main workspace and asks for camera access if it is not already granted.
Right now the app recognizes DIGIT, DIGIT 360, and GelSight Mini sensors from the codebase.
No, for normal use — connecting a sensor, previewing, and capturing photos/video all work fully offline. Internet is only needed once, to download the optional AI feature and any model files you want to import.
Captured media is saved to the device gallery storage so users can review it with installed gallery apps.
Those permissions are needed so Android can allow access to the sensor camera and the connected USB hardware.
Not yet. OpenTouch is planned for release on the Google Play Store; the listing isn't live yet, so the Download button currently opens a Play Store search instead of a direct listing.