Abstract
In this paper, we propose a novel touch sensor named strain-gauge-sandwiched rubber artificial skin layer formed by direct dipping. One of the most distinguished features of the proposed sensor is its rubber layer forming method where a part of the body (e.g. a finger) of a sensor user is directly dipped into a pool of liquid rubber to form a thin rubber layer in which a strain gauge is embedded. With this sensor, we expect that it detects crucial touch information on skin deformations when a user is performing a target task because its formed rubber layer is adhered strongly to the finger skin. We show experimental results to show strong correlation between the sensor outputs and the pushing forces, as well as the relationship between the outputs of the proposed sensor for three fingers and the resultant forces of the three finger coordination.
