---
license: apache-2.0
library_name: pytorch
pipeline_tag: feature-extraction
tags:
  - tactile-sensing
  - feature-extraction
  - robotics
  - pytorch
  - convnextv2
---

# SharpaWave Deform Encoder

`DeformEncoder` converts a preprocessed single-channel scalar deformation image
into a compact learned tactile feature with shape `[B, 512, 1, 1]`. The feature
can be flattened to `[B, 512]` for downstream tasks.

The unified checkpoint also includes `DeformDecoder` parameters. The decoder
and `DeformAutoencoder` are provided only to demonstrate deformation
reconstruction from the compact feature.

## Tensor Shapes

| Operation | Input | Output |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Encoder | `[B, 1, 240, 240]` | `[B, 512, 1, 1]` |
| Flatten feature | `[B, 512, 1, 1]` | `[B, 512]` |
| Autoencoder | `[B, 1, 240, 240]` | `[B, 1, 240, 240]` |

The input is a preprocessed scalar deformation image, not a raw RGB camera
image.

## Usage

Download the checkpoint and use `load_encoder()` from the source repository:

```python
import torch
from huggingface_hub import hf_hub_download

from sharpawave_deform_encoder import load_encoder

checkpoint = hf_hub_download(
    repo_id="Sharpa-Robotics/sharpawave-deform-encoder",
    filename="sharpawave_deform_autoencoder.safetensors",
)
encoder = load_encoder(checkpoint, "cpu")

deform = torch.zeros(1, 1, 240, 240)
with torch.inference_mode():
    feature = encoder(deform)  # [1, 512, 1, 1]
```

Source code: <https://github.com/sharpa-robotics/sharpawave-deform-encoder>

## Checkpoint

The single SafeTensors file contains both encoder and reconstruction-only
decoder parameters. `load_encoder()` reads only the encoder tensors;
`load_autoencoder()` loads the complete demonstration model.

The published checkpoint was trained from random initialization without
upstream pretrained weights.

The SHA-256 digest is recorded in `SHA256SUMS`.

## Limitations

The encoder expects the documented 240-by-240 scalar input representation.

## License

Developed by Sharpa Group. Licensed under Apache License 2.0. See `LICENSE` and
`THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md`.