An integrated tactile-thermal robot sensor with capacitive tactile array

Abstract

The paper discusses a tactile sensor system with high sampling resolution integrated with a thermal sensor. The integration is performed by using the column armature of the matrix of a capacitive tactile sensor as thermal resistor having positive temperature coefficient. A prototype of the sensor has been designed and constructed. From test results on this prototype when used as a tactile sensor, with spatial resolution of 2 mm, has been detected a sensitivity of about 20 N/mm/sup 2/ per picofarad or 0.05 pF per N/mm/sup 2/ with linearity of about 0.4%. As thermal sensor, with spatial resolution of 2 mm, the temperature coefficient has been in about the 0.4% with sensitivity of about 0.4 m/spl Omega///spl deg/C.