Abstract
To prevent objects from dropping due to ineffective grasping, robotic hands need to be covered with flexible sensors to determine the magnitude, position, and direction of the applied load. In the present study, a novel sensor was developed, that consists of a hemispherical elastic body and a load measurement layer; the latter is composed of a pressure-sensitive electrically conductive material sandwiched between an upper and a lower electrode. Changing the load on the pressure-sensitive material causes its internal resistance to vary. This gives rise to a change in the voltage measured between the upper and lower electrodes, and allows the load on the sensor to be determined. This study focused on the application of a normal load to different positions on the sensor. The dependence of the voltage change on the magnitude and position of the load was investigated.
