Synaptics Brings Tactile Sensing and Edge AI to NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Holoscan
Synaptics adds tactile sensing and Astra Edge AI support to NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Holoscan, enabling simulated and on-device multimodal robotics touch processing.
Rhea-AI Summary
Synaptics (SYNA) introduced its first Capacitive Tactile Sensing (CTS) module using the SN6012T touch controller, now supported in the NVIDIA Isaac Sim robotics simulation framework and working with NVIDIA Holoscan.
The CTS module targets dexterous robotic hands, grippers, and other Physical AI systems to detect contact and pressure distribution for more precise grip control and object manipulation. It offers a high 2.5mm pitch taxel density in a 5x12 array, measuring forces up to 100N with 0.1N resolution and a proprietary sensor design that enables 10x faster rebound response than traditional foam sensors. The module is built for NVIDIA’s Newton physics engine and integrates with Synaptics Astra Edge AI processors, which aggregate touch, vision, and motion data into unified streams, offload sensor collection from central compute, and deliver multimodal data to NVIDIA Holoscan over standard Ethernet.
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Key Figures
- Taxel pitch
- 2.5mm
- CTS tactile module
- Taxel array
- 5x12 taxels
- CTS tactile module
- Force range
- up to 100N
- CTS tactile module
- Force resolution
- 0.1N
- CTS tactile module
- Rebound response
- 10x faster
- Compared with traditional foam sensors
Previous AI Reports
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Showcased Astra Edge AI, multimodal sensing, and Physical AI applications at COMPUTEX
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Launched Astra-based Coral Dev Board for multimodal Edge AI application development
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Showcased Astra SoCs and multimodal sensing for robotics and industrial automation
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
hysteresis technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Synaptics Capacitive Tactile Sensing (CTS) module captures touch data and Astra® Edge AI processors run inference on device, now supported on NVIDIA Isaac Sim™ and Holoscan.
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Synaptics® Incorporated (Nasdaq: SYNA) today announced its first CTS module powered by the SN6012T touch controller is now supported by the open robotics simulation framework, NVIDIA Isaac Sim. The Synaptics CTS module is designed for dexterous robotic hands, grippers, and other Physical AI systems to detect contact and pressure distribution, supporting more precise grip control, object manipulation, and responsive interaction.
The CTS module works effortlessly with Synaptics Astra® Edge AI processors. These processors serve as a multimodal sensing, inferencing, and connectivity hub unifying touch, vision, motor control, and other sensory signals into synchronized streams to facilitate hierarchical AI systems with support of NVIDIA Holoscan.
As Physical AI platforms increasingly operate in highly dynamic environments and interact directly with humans and objects, developers need simulation environments that capture how contact and force behave at the point of touch. This simulation environment delivers a way to prototype tactile interactions and generate synthetic sensor data. It helps developers expedite validation cycles by enabling perception algorithms before deploying on physical hardware.
The CTS platform is expected to provide:
- An optimized standard tactile module: High 2.5mm pitch taxel density with a 5x12 taxel array, supporting force ranges up to 100N with 0.1N resolution.
- Faster response, low-hysteresis proprietary sensor design: 10x faster rebound response than traditional foam sensors.
- Native Newton engine support: Built from the ground up for NVIDIA’s Newton physics simulation engine.
The Astra AI-native processor platform is designed to:
- Aggregate touch, vision, and motion data into unified streams, delivered to NVIDIA Holoscan over standard Ethernet.
- Offload sensor collection and synchronization from central compute, so robotic platforms can interpret contact, grip, and movement locally.
- Bring localized Edge AI intelligence to humanoids, grippers, and industrial systems, cutting integration complexity.
“Tactile sensing is essential for fast, accurate, and robust robotics and humanoid experiences across all markets,” said Rahul Patel, President and CEO, Synaptics. “Combining Synaptics’ touch modules and Astra Edge AI processors with NVIDIA’s Isaac Sim and Holoscan platform capabilities enables processing of multi-sensory modalities, simplifying integration hurdles and accelerating time-to-market for developers through faster validation cycles.”
“The next generation of Physical AI depends on closing the gap between what robots learn in simulation and how they respond to contact in the real world,” said Deepu Talla, Vice President of Robotics and Edge AI at NVIDIA. “Synaptics is bringing CTS tactile sensing and Astra Edge AI processors to NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Holoscan, helping developers simulate touch and process multimodal sensor data for more precise grip control, object manipulation, and responsive robotic interaction.”
About Synaptics Incorporated
Synaptics (Nasdaq: SYNA) is driving innovation in AI at the Edge, bringing AI closer to end users, and transforming how we engage with intelligent connected devices, whether at home, at work, or on the move. As a go-to partner for forward-thinking product innovators, Synaptics powers the future with its cutting-edge Synaptics Astra® AI-Native embedded compute, wireless connectivity, and multimodal sensing solutions. We’re making the digital experience smarter, faster, more intuitive, secure, and seamless. From touch, display, and biometrics to AI-driven wireless connectivity, video, vision, audio, speech, and security processing, Synaptics is the force behind the next generation of technology enhancing how we live, work, and play.
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Synaptics, the Synaptics logo and Astra are trademarks of Synaptics in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Safe-Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the capabilities of Synaptics' CTS module and Astra processors, their integration with NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Holoscan, developer adoption, and market opportunities in robotics and edge AI. These statements involve risks and uncertainties including product development delays, competitive pressures, adoption rates for simulation and edge AI platforms, supply chain constraints, and macroeconomic conditions. For more information on risks, please refer to Synaptics' most recent Form 10-K and 10-Q filings with the SEC. Synaptics disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.
For further information, please contact:
Media Contact
press@synaptics.com
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What tactile sensing capabilities does the Synaptics CTS module provide for robotics?
The CTS module is designed for robotic hands, grippers, and other Physical AI systems to detect contact and pressure distribution at the point of touch. It uses a high-density 2.5mm pitch taxel layout in a 5x12 array and supports force ranges up to 100N with 0.1N resolution, enabling more precise grip control, object manipulation, and responsive interaction.
How does the CTS sensor performance compare with traditional foam-based sensors?
The CTS module employs a proprietary low-hysteresis sensor design that delivers 10x faster rebound response than traditional foam sensors. This faster response is intended to help robotic platforms react more quickly to changing contact conditions during manipulation tasks.
What role do Astra Edge AI processors play in this solution?
Astra Edge AI processors act as a multimodal sensing and inferencing hub that aggregates touch, vision, and motion data into unified streams. They offload sensor collection and synchronization from central compute, allow robotic platforms to interpret contact, grip, and movement locally, and deliver these synchronized data streams to NVIDIA Holoscan over standard Ethernet to help reduce integration complexity.
How does NVIDIA Isaac Sim integration benefit developers using Synaptics CTS?
With support in NVIDIA Isaac Sim and its Newton physics engine, developers can simulate how contact and force behave at the point of touch, prototype tactile interactions, and generate synthetic sensor data. This environment is described as helping expedite validation cycles by enabling perception algorithms in simulation before deploying on physical hardware.