Development of a low cost 3D optical compliant tactile force sensor

This paper presents a new and low cost 3D optical compliant tactile sensor that is capable of measuring a three-axial directional force component as well as an incipient slip. The tactile sensor is composed of a hollow compliant convex surface made of silicon rubber placed on a three photodiode and an infra LED based sensor array arranged in a reflective configuration. Any force applied onto the convex surface will cause a deformation that will change the reflected amount of light to the photodiodes causing their output to change according to the applied force vector. Due to the optical method of measurement, the proposed sensor offers a highly dynamic sensory range, low noise, and high speed operation (kHz range). Experimental results demonstrate accurate contact point, force magnitude and force incidence angle detection.