Abstract
This paper proposes a new active sensor system (Active Antenna) which is motivated by the antenna of an insect. Insects use their antennae skillfully so that they can aviod hitting objects, while they are crawling, running, and even when they are staying still. The antenna can be characterized by its“flexibility”and“active motions”. The flexibility of the antenna may contribute to the reduction of the impulsive force which appears when the antenna contacts an object unexpectedly. Active motions may be useful for extending the sensing environment in a 3D space. While the antenna possesses all these inherent advantages, we propose a new active sensing system, in which both flexibility and active motions contribute essentially to the contact point sensing between the antenna and an obstacle. The sensor system consists of only four components, an insensitive flexible beam, a position sensor, a torque sensor, and an actuator. We show that this simple sensor system can locate any contact point between the insensitive flexible beam and an object by applying an active motion to the beam. We also show that this sensor system enables us to detect the shape of the object when it is mounted on the front part of a mobile robot.
