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Title: Optical based tactile shear and normal load sensor

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1183925

Various technologies described herein pertain to a tactile sensor that senses normal load and/or shear load. The tactile sensor includes a first layer and an optically transparent layer bonded together. At least a portion of the first layer is made of optically reflective material. The optically transparent layer is made of resilient material (e.g., clear silicone rubber). The tactile sensor includes light emitter/light detector pair(s), which respectively detect either normal load or shear load. Light emitter(s) emit light that traverses through the optically transparent layer and reflects off optically reflective material of the first layer, and light detector(s) detect and measure intensity of reflected light. When a normal load is applied, the optically transparent layer compresses, causing a change in reflected light intensity. When shear load is applied, a boundary between optically reflective material and optically absorptive material is laterally displaced, causing a change in reflected light intensity.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
Assignee:
Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Number(s):
9,052,775
Application Number:
13/556,393
OSTI ID:
1183925
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (9)

Optical force sensor patent February 2010
Optical sensor for measuring a force distribution patent June 2014
A robust, low-cost and low-noise artificial skin for human-friendly robots conference May 2010
Conformable and scalable tactile sensor skin for curved surfaces conference January 2006
Embedded Sensors for Biomimetic Robotics via Shape Deposition Manufacturing conference January 2006
Simulation of a sensor array for multiparameter measurements at the prosthetic limb interface conference July 2004
Characterization of a novel hybrid silicon three-axial force sensor journal September 2005
Embedded flexible optical shear sensor conference November 2010
An optical 3D force sensor for biomedical devices
  • Lincoln, Lucas Samuel; Quigley, Morgan; Rohrer, Brandon
  • 2012 4th IEEE RAS & EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob 2012), 2012 4th IEEE RAS & EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob) https://doi.org/10.1109/BioRob.2012.6290820
conference June 2012

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