Title :
Tactile Perception using Micro Force/Moment Sensor Embedded in Soft Fingertip
Author :
Fujii, Ikuo ; Inoue, Takahiro ; Dao, Dzung Viet ; Sugiyama, Susumu ; Hirai, Shinichi
Author_Institution :
Ritsumeikan Univ., Kusatsu
Abstract :
In this paper, we show a novel tactile sensor fabricated by embedding a micro-force/moment sensor inside a hemispherical soft fingertip, which is applicable to the object manipulation using robotic hands. This sensor is produced by MEMS technology, designed to detect one force component (Fz) and two moment components (Mx,My). The structure is composed of a central square-block and four crisscross beams across the block, and its dimension is 9 mm for a single sensing chip. We designed two types piezoresistors on the beams. One is a conventional two-terminal piezoresistor capable to measure a longitudinal strain, and the other is a four-terminal square-shaped piezoresistor capable to measure a transverse strain. We also applied a structural analysis to the chip to evaluate stress distribution on it. Finally, we show that Fz,Mx, and My measured by the electrical potential difference on each terminal have high accuracy and keep low fluctuation in compression test of the soft fingertip.
Keywords :
force sensors; micromanipulators; microsensors; piezoresistive devices; tactile sensors; MEMS technology; compression test; electrical potential difference; four-terminal square-shaped piezoresistor; hemispherical soft fingertip; longitudinal strain; microforce sensor; micromoment sensor; object manipulation; robotic hands; sensing chip; stress distribution; structural analysis; tactile perception; tactile sensor; transverse strain; two-terminal piezoresistor; Electric potential; Electric variables measurement; Force sensors; Micromechanical devices; Piezoresistive devices; Robot sensing systems; Semiconductor device measurement; Strain measurement; Stress; Tactile sensors; Force/moment sensor; Grasping; MEMS; Manipulation; Piezoresistor; Soft fingertip; Tactile sensor;
Conference_Titel :
Sensors, 2006. 5th IEEE Conference on
Conference_Location :
Daegu
Print_ISBN :
1-4244-0375-8
Electronic_ISBN :
1930-0395
DOI :
10.1109/ICSENS.2007.355529