A tactile sensor skin for measuring surface contours

The design and construction of a compliant tactile sensory skin intended for use in robotics applications are described. Sensor compliance increases the information gathering capabilities of the sensor, accommodates a degree of inaccuracy in robot positioning, aids stable grasping and resists damage. The sensor consists of a quantity of fluid contained behind a neoprene rubber skin. The electrical resistance between points on the rubber skin and the rigid substrate provides a measure of the surface profile of objects indented into the sensor. Results obtained using a prototype version of the sensor are presented.<
>