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Low cost tactile gripper using silicone rubber sensor array

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

Lim Kah-Bin
Affiliation:
National University of Singapore, Mechanical and Production Engineering Department, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, (Singapore) 0511
Chong Yoon-Song
Affiliation:
Mechanical Design Engineer, Process Automation Center, Texas Instruments Singapore (Pte) Ltd, 200 Bedok South Avenue 1, (Singapore) 1646

Summary

A low cost tactile sensor using commercially available conductive silicone rubber has been developed. It comprises a two dimensional array arranged in 3 mm centre-to-centre distance. Each sensor element has a zero-force resistance of about 0.3 kohm and it has a logarithmic characteristic curve of resistance versus force. An 8 × 8 prototype tactile sensor array over an area of 3 cm × 3 cm has been fabricated and mounted on the gripper of a robot for testing and evaluation. The associated software has also been developed. The limitations of the sensor are also discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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