A Flexible High Resolution Tactile Imager with Video Signal Output.
Makoto Shimojo, Masatoshi Ishikawa, K. KANAYA · TRANSACTIONS OF THE JAPAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS Series C · 1991
A high resolution and sheetlike form imaging tactile sensor with video signal output has been developed. The sensor has a 64×64 array of sensing elements on a flexible PC board with 1mm spatial resolution. Since the sensor outputs pressure distribution as a video signal, real time tactile image can be observed by using TV monitor. Moreover the same hardware and software of a vision system can be used for measured data handlings, tactile image processing and recording are very simple. As the sensor is made up of a sheet of pressure conductive rubber and stripe electrodes, there are undesiable current passes between sensing elements. Thus these undesiable current passes must be cut within a short scanning priod (500 ns for each element). We used a ground potential method and proved it useful under such a high speed scanning condition. The properties of pressure conductive rubber, including hysteresis and creap effects, are presented. A spatial filtering effect of an elastic cover for a tactile sensor is also analyzed. And it is proved this effect is very important. The final section shows measured data and image processing examples.