Trace Measurement by Fingerprint Type Surface Tactile Sensor for Texture Detection

Abstract

Quantification and transmission of texture information is necessary in situations such as nursing care robots, where complex human-like movements are expected, or in telemedicine, where precise maneuvering from a remote location is required. Although various studies have been conducted to quantify the texture of objects, in order for a robot to detect the texture of unpredictable objects in real time, the robot must be small in size in addition to having the ability to detect the texture. In this study, we used an ultra-compact MEMS tactile sensor with a fingerprint-like concavo-convex structure in the contact area for texture detection, and evaluated the response when tracing the concavo-convex surface and the change in response depending on whether the sensor surface is concavo-convex or not and the structural period of the object. As a result, it was found that by introducing a concavo-convex structure to the contact area, it is possible to obtain a high intensity response in line with the surface concavity and convexity of the target.