Robust and Inexpensive Six-Axis Force–Torque Sensors Using MEMS Barometers

Current commercial force-torque sensors are sensitive and accurate, but are also typically expensive and fragile. These features limit their use in cost-sensitive applications and unstructured environments such as people's homes. This paper presents a new design for an inexpensive and robust force-torque sensor that uses microelectromechanical system barometer transducers. The new design results in a six-axis force-torque sensor with an R
²
greater than 0.90 for F
_x
and F
_y
, and an R
²
greater than 0.98 for F
_z
, M
_x
, M
_y
, and M
_z
during compound loading. Furthermore, this sensor can be assembled in two days with off-the-shelf components for less than 20 USD.