Fluid tactile sensors

A system comprising:

• a fluid tactile sensor including:
• a substrate, the substrate formed of a rigid material and the substrate including a window of optically transparent material,
• a membrane, the membrane formed of a flexible, elastic sheet of a material, and the membrane having a surface, wherein the membrane is an opaque, reflective membrane with a predetermined reflectance suitable for supporting topographical imaging of the membrane independent of optical properties of a target surface,
• a reservoir having a volume contained at least in part within the substrate and the membrane, and
• an imaging medium within the reservoir, the imaging medium including an optically transparent fluid;
• and
• an imaging system including:
• an illumination source directed through the window of the substrate toward the surface of the membrane when the membrane is positioned for use within an imaging volume of the imaging system, and
• an imaging device positioned to capture images of the surface of the membrane through the window of the substrate when the membrane is placed for use within the imaging volume of the imaging system.