Interdigital flexible tactile sensor based on Velostat
ISSN: 0260-2288
Article publication date: 1 August 2023
Issue publication date: 1 September 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Tactile sensation is an important sensory function for robots in contact with the external environment. To better acquire tactile information about objects, this paper aims to propose a three-layer structure of the interdigital flexible tactile sensor.
Design/methodology/approach
The sensor consists of a bottom electrode layer, a middle pressure-sensitive layer and a top indenter layer. First, the pressure sensitive material, structure design, fabrication process and circuit design of the sensor are introduced. Then, the calibration and performance test of the designed sensor is carried out. Four functions are used to fit and calibrate the relationship between the output voltage of the sensor and the contact force. Finally, the contact force sensing test of different weight objects and the flexible test of the sensor are carried out.
Findings
The performance test results show that the sensitivity of the sensor is 0.93 V/N when it is loaded with 0–3 N and 0.23 V/N when it is loaded with 3–5 N. It shows good repeatability, and the cross-interference between the sensing units is generally low. The contact force sensing test results of different weight objects show that the proposed sensor performs well in contact force. Each part of the sensor is a flexible material, allowing the sensor to achieve bending deformation, so that the sensor can better perceive the contact signs of the grasped object.
Practical implications
The sensor can paste the surface of the paper robot’s gripper to measure the contact force of the grasping object and estimate the contour of the object.
Originality/value
In this paper, a three-layer interdigital flexible tactile sensor is proposed, and the structural parameters of the interdigital electrode are designed to improve the sensitivity and response speed of the sensor. The indenter with three shapes of the prism, square cylinder and hemisphere is preliminarily designed and the prism indenter with better conduction force is selected through finite element analysis, which can concentrate the external force in the sensing area to improve the sensitivity. The sensor designed in this paper can realize the measurement of contact force, which provides a certain reference for the field of robot tactile.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The first person the author would like to thank is author’s supervisor, Mr Fang, who has helped the author a lot in both life and research, and who has been very patient in guiding the author on how to write the paper. Then, the author would also like to thank the author’s senior brother, Dong Shuo, who often gave the author advice on the author’s research. Finally, the author would like to thank herself for always moving forward.
Qing Lan Project of the Higher Education Institutions of Jiangsu Province.
Science and Technology Plan Project of Jiangsu Province (International Science and Technology Cooperation Special Fund) (BZ2022029).
Citation
Fang, H., Wei, Y. and Dong, S. (2023), "Interdigital flexible tactile sensor based on Velostat", Sensor Review, Vol. 43 No. 4, pp. 295-308. https://doi.org/10.1108/SR-01-2023-0009
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited