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Article

Title: 'Skin' could refine robots' sense of touch

Author: Johnson, R Colin Article Type: Product Analysis
Source: Electronic Engineering Times, n1373 p38(1) Publication Date: May 30, 2005
  ISSN: 0192-1541
URL of Publication: http://www.eet.com

At the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), electrical engineers have developed a prototype robot skin from a flexible polymer with multiple sensors that concurrently evaluate shape, force, hardness, motion, temperature, and thermal conductivity. The invention would reduce damage done by robots to parts that require a sensitive tactile sense. Robots would be given human-like sense of touch with a skin based on photolithography-created 4x4 sensor arrays in a polymer-based microelectromechanical sensors/systems (MEMS). Software algorithms are also under development that in the future would allow a robot to do many of the same types of tasks. The goal is to allow a robot to sense material from which an object is made and to be able to adjust its grip appropriately. The system developed by the researchers would allow the tactile sensor array to sufficiently inform the system of the nature of an object. The approach used is to integrate readings from many different sensors in the skin of the robot's hand so that sufficient force is applied to prevent slipping, but without a level of force that creates breakage. The polymer substrate was chosen instead of a silicon substrate because polymer is more flexible, strong, and economical for large-area lithography.

Products:
MicroElectroMechanical Systems Robotics

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