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Article
Publication date: 24 May 2018

Xiaozhou Lu, Xi Xie, Qiaobo Gao, Hanlun Hu, Jiayi Yang, Hui Wang, Songlin Wang and Renjie Chen

The hands of intelligent robots perceive external stimuli and respond effectively according to tactile or pressure sensors. However, the traditional tactile and pressure sensors

Abstract

Purpose

The hands of intelligent robots perceive external stimuli and respond effectively according to tactile or pressure sensors. However, the traditional tactile and pressure sensors cannot perform human-skin-like intelligent properties of high sensitivity, large measurement range, multi-function and flexibility simultaneously. The purpose of this paper is to present a flexible tactile-pressure sensor based on hyper-elastics polydimethylsiloxane and plate capacitance.

Design/methodology/approach

With regard to this problem, this paper presents a flexible tactile-pressure sensor based on hyper-elastics PDMS and plate capacitance. The sensor has a size of 10 mm × 10 mm × 1.3 mm and is composed of four upper electrodes, one middle driving electrode and one lower electrode. The authors first analyzed the structure and the tactile-pressure sensing principle of human skin to obtain the design parameters of the sensor. Then they presented the working principle, material selection and mechanical structure design and fabrication process of the sensor. The authors also fabricated several sample devices of the sensor and carried out experiments to establish the relationship between the sensor output and the pressure.

Findings

The results show that the tactile part of the sensor can measure a range of 0.05-1N/mm2 micro pressure with a sensitivity of 2.93 per cent/N and a linearity of 0.03 per cent. The pressure part of the sensor can measure a range of 1-30N/mm2 pressure with a sensitivity of 0.08 per cent/N and a linearity of 0.07 per cent.

Originality/value

This paper analyzes the tactile and pressure sensing principles of human skin and develop an intelligent sensitive human-skin-like tactile-pressure sensor for intelligent robot perception systems. The sensor can achieve to imitate the tactile and pressure function simultaneously with a measurement resolution of 0.01 N and a spatial resolution of 2 mm.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 39 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1988

Alexander Lauber, Bengt Sandell, Per Holmbom and Ole Pedersen

Scientists at Linkoping Institute of Technology assess the state of tactile sensing and offer some of their own ideas.

Abstract

Scientists at Linkoping Institute of Technology assess the state of tactile sensing and offer some of their own ideas.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 8 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Article
Publication date: 22 October 2019

Yaming Wang, Feng Ju, Yahui Yun, Jiafeng Yao, Yaoyao Wang, Hao Guo and Bai Chen

This paper aims to introduce an aircraft engine inspection robot (AEIR) which can go in the internal of the aircraft engine without collision and detect damage for engine blades.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce an aircraft engine inspection robot (AEIR) which can go in the internal of the aircraft engine without collision and detect damage for engine blades.

Design/methodology/approach

To obtain the position and pose information of the blades inside the engine, a novel tactile sensor based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is developed, which could provide location and direction information when it contacts with an unknown object. In addition, to navigate the continuum robot, a control method is proposed to control the continuum robot, which can control the continuum robot to move along the pre-planned path and reduce the deviation from the planned path.

Findings

Experiment results show that the average error of contact location measurement of the tactile sensor is 0.8 mm. The average error relative to the size (diameter of 18 mm) of the sensor is 4.4%. The continuum robot can successfully reach the target position through a gap of 30 mm and realize the spatial positioning of blades. The validity of the AEIR for engine internal blade detection is verified.

Originality/value

The aero-engine inspection robot developed in this paper can replace human to detect engine blades and complete different detection tasks with different kinds of sensors.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 47 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2005

Javad Dargahi and Siamak Najarian

Reviews the benefits and potential application of tactile sensors for use with robots.

4440

Abstract

Purpose

Reviews the benefits and potential application of tactile sensors for use with robots.

Design/methodology/approach

Includes the most recent advances in both the design/manufacturing of various tactile sensors and their applications in different industries. Although these types of sensors have been adopted in a considerable number of areas, the applications such as, medical, agricultural/livestock and food, grippers/manipulators design, prosthetic, and environmental studies have gained more popularity and are presented in this paper.

Findings

Robots can perform very useful and repetitive tasks in controlled environments. However, when the robots are required to handle the unstructured and changing environments, there is a need for more elaborate means to improve their performance. In this scenario, tactile sensors can play a major role. In the unstructured environments, the robots must be able to grasp objects (or tissues, in the case of medical robots) and move objects from one location to another.

Originality/value

In this work, the emphasis was on the most interesting and fast developing areas of the tactile sensors applications, including, medical, agriculture and food, grippers and manipulators design, prosthetic, and environmental studies.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 September 2015

Alireza Hassanbeiglou, Masoud Kalantari, Elaheh Mozaffari, Javad Dargahi and József Kövecses

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new tactile array sensor into the medical field to enhance current robotic minimally invasive surgery (RMIS) procedures that are still…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new tactile array sensor into the medical field to enhance current robotic minimally invasive surgery (RMIS) procedures that are still limited in scope and versatility. In this paper, a novel idea is proposed in which a tactile sensor array can measure rate of displacement in addition to force and displacement of any viscoelastic material during the course of a single touch. To verify this new array sensor, several experiments were conducted on a diversity of tissues from which it was concluded that this newly developed sensory offers definite and significant enhancements.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed array sensor is capable of extracting force, displacement and displacement rate in the course of a single touch on tissues. Several experiments have been conducted on different tissues and the array sensor to verify the concept and to verify the output of the sensor.

Findings

It is shown that this new generation of sensors are required to distinguish the difference in hardness degrees of materials with viscoelastic behavior.

Originality/value

In this paper, a new generation of tactile sensors is proposed that is capable of measuring indentation time in addition to force and displacement. This idea is completely unique and has not been submitted to any conference or journal.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 35 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2005

Zengxi Pan and Zhenqi Zhu

This paper aims to design a new full‐body tactile sensor which is essential for the application of personal service robot similar to human skin.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to design a new full‐body tactile sensor which is essential for the application of personal service robot similar to human skin.

Design/methodology/approach

The largest difficulty for designing a full‐body tactile sensor is the huge number of output connections. The sensor introduced in this paper is a special multi‐layer structure, which could minimize the output connections while sensing both the position and force information. Since it is made of conductive and non‐conductive textiles, the sensor could be used to cover the curved surface of robot body.

Findings

With better structure design, output connectors and signal measurement times could be dramatically reduced.

Research limitations/implications

Sensor area and performance are limited by the sensitivity of the measurement circuits.

Originality/value

Introduces an innovate design of full‐body tactile sensor.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 32 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2005

Johan Tegin and Jan Wikander

When designing hardware and algorithms for robotic manipulation and grasping, sensory information is typically needed to control the grasping process. This paper presents an…

4594

Abstract

Purpose

When designing hardware and algorithms for robotic manipulation and grasping, sensory information is typically needed to control the grasping process. This paper presents an overview of the major grasping and manipulation approaches and the more common hardware used to obtain the necessary sensory information.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents an overview of tactile sensing in intelligent robotic manipulation. The history, the common issues, and applications are reviewed. Sensor performance is briefly discussed and compared to the human tactile sense. Advantages and disadvantages of the most common sensor approaches are discussed. Some examples are given of sensors that are widely available as of today. Eventually, some examples of the state‐of‐the‐art in tactile sensing application are presented.

Findings

Although many sensor technologies and strong theoretical models have been developed, there is still much left to be done in intelligent grasping and manipulation. This is partly due to the youth of the field and the complex nature of safe control in uncertain environments. Even though there are impressive results when it comes to specific examples of advanced manipulation, there seems to be room for great improvements of hardware and especially algorithms when it comes to more generic everyday domestic tasks.

Originality/value

This paper presents a review of sensor hardware while also giving a glimpse of the major topics in grasping and manipulation. While better hardware of course is desirable, the major challenges seem to lie in the development and application of grasping and manipulation algorithms.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 32 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2013

Dalibor Petković, Mirna Issa, Nenad D. Pavlović and Lena Zentner

The aim of this paper is to investigate implementations of carbon‐black filled silicone rubber for tactile sensation.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate implementations of carbon‐black filled silicone rubber for tactile sensation.

Design/methodology/approach

The sensor‐elements for this tactile sensing structure were made by press‐curing from carbon‐black filled silicone rubber.

Findings

The behaviour of the silicone rubber shows strong non‐linearity, therefore, the sensor cannot be used for accurate measurements. The greatest advantage of this material lies in its high elasticity.

Originality/value

A new method for artificial tactile sensing skin for robotic applications.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 June 2008

Somrak Petchartee and Gareth Monkman

The purpose of this paper is to analyze surface deformations caused by shear and moment forces on tactile materials and present a method to detect and reduce the risk of slippage…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze surface deformations caused by shear and moment forces on tactile materials and present a method to detect and reduce the risk of slippage by controlling the normal force as measured by tactile sensor arrays.

Design/methodology/approach

A predictive model has been proposed which uses a basic method adapted to real applications in grasp optimization. Prevention of premature release with minimum prehension force is addressed without the need to measure the coefficient of friction between object and robot gripper. Predictive models have been used to develop a set of rules which predict the pre‐slip based on fluctuations in tactile signal data.

Findings

The tactile sensors can be used in a “nonlinear” manner during manipulation tasks. When the gripper finger first makes contact with an object, the stress distribution under the finger skin varies rapidly. Predictive models have been used to develop a set of rules which predict the pre‐slip based on fluctuations in tactile signal data. Pre‐slip at the contact area just prior to object movement produces rapid but detectable stress transients.

Originality/value

Tactile sensors do not measure stress generated by a contact with an object directly, but instead measure strain in an interposed compliant, polymeric medium intended for sensor protection and prehension assistance. Reliable detection of pre‐slip has hitherto eluded researchers using such tactile techniques.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 35 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2023

Haifeng Fang, Yangyang Wei and Shuo Dong

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…

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.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 43 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

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