Structural Design And Decoupling Research Of A Novel Three-dimensional Force Flexible Tactile Sensor

The design of flexible multi-dimensional tactile sensor is very important to intelligent robots. It has the same flexibility as human skin and can be fixed in any object to perceive some physical properties, especially, multi-dimensional force information can be obtained. Today, the research of tactile sensor which can meet the requirements of the current development of robot is one of the key technologies, and it plays a necessary role to help robot achieve interaction with the external environment. In addition, the flexible multi-dimensional tactile sensor also has important applications in sports, medicine and human biomechanics research.This dissertation is originated from the National Natural Science Foundation (NO. 60672024;NO.61072032) and National High Technology Research and Development Program (863 Program NO.2007AA042220). In view of the fact that most current tactile sensors can not simultaneously meet the requirement of flexibility and obtaining multi-dimensional force information,this dissertation makes an innovative research on a novel flexible three-dimensional force tactile sensor.The major research and innovative results are as follows:1.A novel tactile sensor based on conductive rubber with an integral two layers asymmetrical reticular structure is designed. This sensor used"overall liquid model"technology, and broke through the traditional armor combination of sensor arrays, which contributed to flexible multi-dimensional tactile sensor's mass production.2.Based on the force-sensitive conductive rubber's ideal mechanics characteristics, we established a three-dimensional force parallel detection mathematical model. Based on this model, the sensor can detect the 3-D force information applied on any point, multi-point as well as sensor's surface. The sensor expanded the scale of 3-D force sensing, and can further satisfy the intelligent robot's demand.3.The three-dimensional force mathematical model based on the conductive rubber's tunnel effect is proposed, and the preliminary decoupling method is also discussed. This model is more based on the sensitive material's actual nature, and provided theory support for further studying on tactile sensor based on conductive rubber.4 . The three-dimensional force sensor's calibration is discussed, and the calibration platform and calibration method based on the BP neural network are mainly proposed.The tactile sensor we presented is more skin-like, and it also can detect three-dimensional force information. This study will lay a good foundation for further research on robot's sensitive skin and promote the use of flexible tactile sensor.