Robotic Gripper Tactile Sensor Array for Slip and Contact Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic systems lack rich sensory feedback, relying on single-modality sensing architectures that are insufficient for complex assembly tasks and fail to provide human-like tactile perception, leading to errors and damage during object manipulation.
Innovation Solution
A tactile perception apparatus with a 2D array of pressure sensors on the robotic end-effector's contact structure, generating a 2D contour map of contact forces that provides detailed tactile information, enabling enhanced object recognition and manipulation control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If single-modality sensing architectures are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and information richness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing modalities (pressure sensing, vibration sensing, and temperature sensing) into a single integrated end-effector sensor array. This merging of previously separate sensing functions into one unified system enables rich tactile perception while maintaining manageable device complexity through integrated design.
2Reliability
If no sensing architecture is used, then device complexity is minimized, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to adapt to positional variations
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor array provides real-time tactile feedback about contact forces, vibrations, and temperature during object manipulation. This feedback enables the robotic system to detect positional variations and adjust its operations accordingly, significantly improving reliability while maintaining relatively simple integrated sensor design.
3Loss of information
If single-modality pressure sensors are used, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of information increases due to insufficient feedback for complex manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges pressure sensing, vibration sensing, and temperature sensing capabilities into a single integrated sensor array on the end-effector. This combination captures multiple dimensions of tactile information simultaneously, dramatically reducing information loss for complex manipulation tasks while maintaining manageable system complexity through integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus enhances robotic systems with human-like tactile perception capabilities, allowing for precise object recognition and control, reducing errors and damage by providing rich sensory feedback.
Implementation Method 1
each pressure sensor generates an associated sensor data amount corresponding to an amount of contact force applied onto a corresponding surface region
Data Source
AI summary
A human-like tactile perception apparatus for providing enhanced tactile information (feedback data) from an end-effector/gripper to the control circuit of an arm-type robotic system. The apparatus's base structure is attached to the gripper's finger and includes a flat/planar support plate that presses a pressure sensor array against a target object during operable interactions. The pressure sensor array generates pressure sensor data that indicates portions of the array contacted by surface features of the target object. A sensor data processing circuit generates tactile information in response to the pressure sensor data, and then transmits the tactile information to the robotic system's control circuit. An optional mezzanine connector extends through an opening in the support plate to pass pressure sensor data to the processing circuit. An encapsulating layer covers the pressure sensor array and transmits pressure waves generated by slipping objects to enhance the tactile information.