Fingerlike Tactile Texture Integrated Sensor with Cold and Warm Sensations of Sub-MM Spatial Resolution

In this study, a highly functional tactile texture sensor with cold and warm sensations similar to human finger tactile sensations has been realized. We report here the first successful results with quantitative measurement, and evaluation results of the delicate sensation of cold and warm with texture information of a target object at a high spatial resolution below 1 mm. This sensor device integrates a microheater on a fingerprint-like contactor to simulate the core temperature of a finger, and the temperature is kept at 35°C during the sensing operation. When an object comes into contact with the contactor tip, the heat flow rate from the microheater increases. The increased heat flow rate is quantitatively measured by the integrated temperature sensors around the contactor tip, which depends on the thermal conductivity of the material. Material warmth was measured by sweeping the device on the material at a speed of 100μm/s, and the sensor device successfully detected the spatial distributions of thermal conductivity, micro-surface shape, and friction force as waveforms at the same time at the same points.