1112 Development and characteristic evaluation of the small sensor element for distributed-type tri-axial force sensor of robot finger

Abstract

This paper presents a new small tactile sensor that can detect the vertical force and the shear force. This proposed tactile sensor detects an applied force as a change in electrical resistance in strain gauges attached to the sensor's surface. This proposed tactile sensor has the structure of an upside-down plate supported by four legs, and its dimensions are 5mm in length, 5mm in width, and 1mm in thickness. This sensor's structure was evaluated by simulation and experiment from the viewpoints of strain gauge sensitivity, force sensitivity, conditional number, and rigidity. As a result, it was proven that the proposed tactile sensor could be miniaturized, and could measure tri-axial force.