Surface Covering Structure and Active Sensing with MEMS-CMOS Integrated 3-Axis Tactile Sensors for Object Slip Detection and Texture Recognition

For realizing practical robot applications, in this paper surface covering and active sensing with 2.73 × 2.73mm² size MEMS-CMOS integrated 3-axis tactile sensor devices are proposed. For detecting slippage of objects, we developed surface covering structure considering force concentration to the sensor diaphragm and the diaphragm protection from overload. The fabricated sensor device successfully showed the slippage prediction, slipping, sliding and falling of the various type's objects. Next, for recognizing the object textures, the sensing surface of the fabricated tactile sensor device moved along object surfaces. With applying force, initially 6N, depending on the object textures unique time series sensing data appeared and can be used for recognition.