The authors propose a novel modular artificial skin sensor, based on optoelectronic technology, able to estimate both normal and shear contact force components. The skin is constituted by sensor modules, each one characterized by four sensing elements that consist of a couple of infrared Light Emitting Diode and Photo-Detector covered by a silicone layer that transduces the external force in a mechanical deformation, measured by the four photodetectors. The skin prototype is obtained from the interconnection of several sensing modules and a single deformable layer is obtained with the use of two different silicone materials that differ for the shore hardness. Several FEM simulations have been carried out in order to demonstrate that the use of the two materials allows to obtain a single silicone structure with a very low coupling between two adjacent sensing modules.
A FE Analysis of a Silicone Deformable Interface for Distributed Force Sensors
DE MARIA, Giuseppe;NATALE, Ciro;PIROZZI, Salvatore
2014
Abstract
The authors propose a novel modular artificial skin sensor, based on optoelectronic technology, able to estimate both normal and shear contact force components. The skin is constituted by sensor modules, each one characterized by four sensing elements that consist of a couple of infrared Light Emitting Diode and Photo-Detector covered by a silicone layer that transduces the external force in a mechanical deformation, measured by the four photodetectors. The skin prototype is obtained from the interconnection of several sensing modules and a single deformable layer is obtained with the use of two different silicone materials that differ for the shore hardness. Several FEM simulations have been carried out in order to demonstrate that the use of the two materials allows to obtain a single silicone structure with a very low coupling between two adjacent sensing modules.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
