Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-03T19:56:04.093Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The induced vibration touch sensor – a new dynamic touch sensing concept

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

Robert W. Patterson
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (USA)
Gale E. Nevill Jr
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (USA)

Abstract

SUMMARY

This report describes a new touch sensing concept in which active, exploratory touching resembles the manner in which humans use their fingertips. The concept utilizes the vibrations produced during sliding motion of the sensor to provide information for characterizing objects and features. The sensing system consists of a textured compliant artificial “skin”, a transduction element, and means for recognizing items of interest.

A relatively simple prototype was fabricated and tested for a range of potentially useful tactile tasks. Results from these experiments demonstrate the promise of the concept. The prototype sensor is shown to be effective at recognizing feature size and shape, patterns of features, feature orientation, feature position, and surface texture.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Harmon, L.D., “Touch sensing technology: A review” Society of Manufacturing Engineers Technical Paper MSR80−03 (Dearborn, Michigan, 1980).Google Scholar
2.Harmon, L.D., “Automated tactile sensingRobotics Research 1, 332 (1982).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Gaston, P.C. and Lozano-Perez, T., “Tactile recognition and localization using object models: The case of polyhedra on a planeIEEE Trans. on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence 6, 257266 (1984).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Dario, P., Domenici, C., Bardelli, R., DeRossi, D., and Pinotti, P., “Piezoelectric polymers: New sensor materials for robotic applicationsProc. 13th ISIR and Robots 7 (2) 14–34 to 1449 (1983).Google Scholar
5.Bejczy, A.K., “Sensors, controls, and man-machine interface for advanced teleoperationScience 108, 13271335 (1980).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Briot, M., “The utilization of an ‘artificial skin’ for the identification of solid objects” Poc. 9th ISIR 529547 (1979).Google Scholar
7.Stoljiljkovic, Z.and Clot, J., “Integrated behavior of artificial skinIEEE Trans. on Biomedical Engineering 24, 396399 (1977).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Birk, J.R. and Kelley, R.B., “An overview of the basic research needed to advance the state of knowledge in roboticsIEEE Trans. on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics 11, 574579 (1981).Google Scholar
9.Kirman, J.H., “Tactile communication of speech: A review and analysisThe Psychological Bulletin 80, 5474 (1973).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Lederman, S.J., “Heightening tactile impressions of surface texture” Active Touch (Pergamon Press Ltd., New York, 1978) pp. 205214.Google Scholar
11.Valbo, A.B. and Johansson, R.S., “The tactile sensory innervation of the glabrous skin of the human hand” Active Touch (Pergamon Press Ltd., New York, 1978) pp. 2954.Google Scholar
12.Quilliam, T.A., “The structure of fingerprint skin” Active Touch (Pergamon Press Ltd., New York, 1978) pp. 118.Google Scholar
13.Dixon, W.J., Brown, M.B., Engelman, L., Frame, J.W., Hill, M.A., Jenrich, R.I., and Toporek, J.D. (eds.), BMDP Statistical Software (University of California Press, Berkeley, California, 1983).Google Scholar