ICRA 2018 Spotlight Video
Interactive Session Wed AM Pod D.7
Authors: Kim, Taekyoung; Park, Yong-Lae
Title: A Soft Three-Axis Load Cell Using Liquid-Filled 3D Microchannels Embedded in a Highly Deformable Elastomer
Abstract:
The advances in soft robotics technologies have been increasing the need of soft sensors for better human-robot interactions. This paper describes a soft 3-axis force sensor composed of a soft-rigid multi-material structure embedded with microfluidic pressure sensitive channels. The pressure sensitive channels are filled with a liquid conductor and have two functional purposes as they are divided into a total of seven segments for an increased spatial resolution. One is for measuring normal forces located underneath force plates which play a role in transmitting the applied force to microchannels. All the others are for measuring shear forces at the side of the force plates. When an applied force is transmitted to microchannels through force plates and deforms certain microchannels, this makes it possible to detect the directions and magnitudes of the applied force depending on which channels provide changes of signals. The proposed sensor outputs a total of seven signals. The combinations of signals from channels are various based on the direction of the applied forces. Therefore, although the proposed sensor has a limited number of force plates, it is possible to interpolate the sensor signals and decouple applied force components in x, y, and z axes.
