Tactile Sensor-Attached Finger for Robot Hand
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic hands currently fail to detect contact between a grip target and surfaces other than the palm surface, leading to damage or failure when the grip target deviates or has complex shapes, as they cannot accurately measure forces applied to end or side surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A tactile sensor-attached finger for robotic hands, featuring a capacitive pressure-sensitive sensor film attached to multiple outer surfaces, including the palm, end, and side surfaces, with a protective layer to enhance detection accuracy and prevent damage by covering non-sensitive areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tactile sensor is installed only on the palm surface of the finger member, then the structure is simple and the sensor area is concentrated, but the robotic hand cannot detect contact between the grip target and end surface or side surface, leading to damage or failure
Solution Approach 1:
The tactile sensor is divided into multiple pressure-sensitive areas located on different surfaces (palm surface, end surface, and side surfaces) of the finger member. Each area independently detects contact forces on its specific surface, enabling comprehensive coverage of all potential contact points without requiring a single complex sensor structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor coverage is extended from the traditional two-dimensional palm surface to a three-dimensional distribution across multiple surfaces including end and side surfaces. This spatial expansion allows detection of contact forces from various directions and surfaces, resolving the limitation of surface-restricted sensing.
2Productivity
If the robotic hand descends to grip the grip target without detecting end surface contact, then the gripping motion can be completed, but the grip target may be damaged or the robotic hand may fail due to excessive load
Solution Approach 1:
The tactile sensor on the end surface detects contact between the grip target and the end surface before the robotic hand applies full gripping force. This preliminary detection allows the control system to identify potential issues early and adjust the gripping force accordingly, preventing damage to the grip target while maintaining efficient gripping operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile sensor provides real-time feedback on contact forces from the end surface to the control system. Based on this feedback, the control system can dynamically adjust the gripping force to prevent excessive loads that would damage the grip target, while still achieving effective gripping when appropriate.
3Force
If two finger members approach the grip target from both sides without detecting side surface contact, then the gripping force can be applied, but the grip target may be damaged due to unintended load
Solution Approach 1:
The tactile sensor on the side surface detects contact between the grip target and the side surface before the finger members apply full gripping force from both sides. This preliminary detection enables the control system to identify unintended contacts and adjust the gripping force to prevent damage to the grip target.
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile sensor provides real-time feedback on side surface contact forces to the control system. Based on this feedback, the control system can dynamically adjust the gripping force applied by both finger members to prevent excessive loads that would damage the grip target, while maintaining effective gripping when appropriate.
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
This solution allows for accurate detection of contact forces across various surfaces, reducing damage and failure by enabling precise measurement of contact states and distributing pressure-sensitive areas effectively, thus preventing unintended loads on the grip target.
Implementation Method 1
The tactile sensor is a capacitive pressure-sensitive sensor including a first electrode film including a first base film with a first electrode pattern on the first base film, a second electrode film including a second base film facing the first base film with a second electrode pattern on the second base film, and an insulator between the first electrode film and the second electrode film.
Data Source
AI summary
A tactile sensor-attached finger is mountable on a robotic hand to reduce damage and failure caused by a grip target coming in contact with a part of a finger member other than its palm surface. A tactile sensor-attached finger (1F) for a robot hand for gripping a grip target includes a finger member (2) including a palm surface (21a) to be in contact with the grip target, a back surface (21b) opposite to the palm surface (21a), an end surface (21c) adjacent to the palm and back surfaces (21a, 21b) on ends of the palm and back surfaces (21a, 21b) in an extension direction in which the palm and back surfaces (21a, 21b) extend, and two side surfaces (21d) adjacent to the palm and back surfaces (21a, 21b) in a direction intersecting with the extension direction, and a tactile sensor (5) being a film attached to an outer surface of a housing (21) included in the finger member (2) and including a pressure-sensitive area (5a) overlapping the palm surface (21a) and at least one of the end surface (21c), one of the two side surfaces (21d), or the other of the two side surfaces (21d).