Proposal: URML (substrate-neutral robot intent) cross-citation for GelSight vision-based tactile sensors

[idoco2003]

Hi @gelsightinc team,

Proposing a URML v0.1 capability-manifest cross-citation for GelSight vision-based tactile sensors (DIGIT-successor / Mini / R1.5) over gsrobotics. URML (Apache-2.0) is a substrate-neutral spec for robot intent.

This is URML's first tactile-sensing RFC. Tactile / pressure-array measurement is a first-class v0.1 schema gap; Spec RFC queued, shared with RFC-0136 (Contactile). GelSight's vision-based output (camera under deformable membrane) and Contactile's capacitive-array output (per-pillar 3-axis force) are structurally different; two vendor inputs sharpen the Spec RFC.

License note. gsrobotics is GPL-3.0, which limits Apache-2.0 bundling. URML's framing is cross-citation rather than bundled adapter; the RFC discusses this explicitly.

This is proposal-only, part of URML's Move #10 outreach (perception-vendor wave, 29 engageable RFCs).

Full RFC: https://github.com/URML-MARS/URML/blob/main/docs/rfcs/0122-gelsight-tactile-outreach.md

Questions worth maintainer input on:

1. Tactile-array measurement_type Spec RFC shape. Manifest fields for vision-based tactile output (image-class, contact-localization, force-estimation derived semantics)?
2. GPL-3.0 posture. Is the copyleft license deliberate (and should URML stay strictly cross-citation), or would a dual-license shape be possible later?
3. Slip-detection / contact-event declaration. Manifest field for vendor-supported derived events?
4. Anything else.

Ido Yahalomi (URML maintainer, urml.dev, greenvh@gmail.com)

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Authoring disclosure: URML is the invention of Ido Yahalomi. The outreach prose is AI-assisted (Claude, under the maintainer's review). See VIBE.md. The maintainer reads and approves every post before it ships. Reviewers who prefer human-only correspondence are welcome to say so.