Design of the force sense unit for space robot end-effector

In the process of space robot capturing, the space robot end-effector was in open-loop state, and the robot controller could not estimate if the capture interface was in desired position. Hence a force sense unit adapted to vicious outer space environment used as the capturing force feedback to the control system was designed. By the method of mechatronics integration design, the force sense unit was integrated into the robot end-effector, which enhanced the reliability, reduced the installing and debugging difficulty. The structure of sensor´s elastomer was modeled, and then it was analyzed by the FEA software Patran/Nastran. At last, inherence frequency of the sensor was figured out from mode analyzing, and a number of object capture tests were carried out. Experimental results showed that degree of non-linearity (1.7%), delicacy (0.0025 V/N) and stability of the sensor unit was significantly accorded with the design targets of space robot end-effector.