Flexible dome-shaped tactile sensor capable of 3-axis force measurement, tactile sensor array, and manufacturing method thereof

Flexible Dome-Shaped Tactile Sensor for 3-Axis Force Measurement

This technology relates to a flexible dome-shaped tactile sensor capable of 3-axis force measurement, a tactile sensor array, and a manufacturing method thereof, utilizing a hemispherical bump structure to simultaneously detect normal and shear forces.

Conventional tactile sensors have faced limitations in applications involving human contact or attachment to curved surfaces due to spatial constraints, high manufacturing complexity, and a lack of flexibility.

This technology features a flexible structure with stacked lower electrodes, a sensing layer, upper electrodes, and hemispherical bumps to resolve and measure 3-axis forces. It can be expanded into an array to map tactile distribution and is suitable for use in robot hands and wearable devices.

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Key Features:

• A plurality of lower electrodes in an array format printed on a flexible lower substrate, with each electrode electrically connected.
• A sensing layer coupled to the top of each lower electrode, and a plurality of upper electrodes coupled to the top of the sensing layer and printed on the underside of a flexible upper substrate.
• A hemispherical bump coupled to enclose the sensing layer and the plurality of upper electrodes, designed to transmit external forces to the sensing layer.
• A configuration that measures normal force based on the average value of signals from the plurality of sensing layers, and shear force based on the difference between the signals.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of tactile/texture augmented reality actuator technology for remote operation of power facilities using flexible thin-film actuators of 0.5 mm or less.