skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Integrated proximity, contact and force sensing using elastomer-embedded commodity proximity sensors

Abstract

Here, we describe a combined proximity, contact and force (PCF) sensor based on a commodity infrared distance sensor embedded in a transparent elastomer with applications in robotic manipulation. Prior to contact, the sensor works as a distance sensor, whereas after contact the elastomer magnifies the near field of the proximity sensors letting the sensor interpret the indentation on elastomer as force. Contact occurs at the transition of proximity and force. We describe in detail the sensor design, its principle of operation and experimentally characterize the design parameters including polymer thickness, its mixing ratio, and emitter current of the infrared sensor. We also show that the sensor response has an inflection point at contact that is independent of an object’s surface properties, making it a robust detector for contact events. We finally demonstrate a series of use cases for the proposed PCF sensor, including (1) improving pre-grasp alignment, (2) determining contact event with objects, (3) obtaining simple 3D point cloud models of objects using both proximity and contact, and (4) registering self-generated point clouds to those from a RGB-D camera using a Baxter robot and Kinova Jaco arm.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1478224
Report Number(s):
SAND-2017-1719J
Journal ID: ISSN 0929-5593; 654186
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Autonomous Robots
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 42; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 0929-5593
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; Tactile sensing; Robotic grasping; Manipulation; PCF-sensor

Citation Formats

Patel, Radhen, Cox, Rebecca, and Correll, Nikolaus. Integrated proximity, contact and force sensing using elastomer-embedded commodity proximity sensors. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1007/s10514-018-9751-4.
Patel, Radhen, Cox, Rebecca, & Correll, Nikolaus. Integrated proximity, contact and force sensing using elastomer-embedded commodity proximity sensors. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10514-018-9751-4
Patel, Radhen, Cox, Rebecca, and Correll, Nikolaus. 2018. "Integrated proximity, contact and force sensing using elastomer-embedded commodity proximity sensors". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10514-018-9751-4. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1478224.
@article{osti_1478224,
title = {Integrated proximity, contact and force sensing using elastomer-embedded commodity proximity sensors},
author = {Patel, Radhen and Cox, Rebecca and Correll, Nikolaus},
abstractNote = {Here, we describe a combined proximity, contact and force (PCF) sensor based on a commodity infrared distance sensor embedded in a transparent elastomer with applications in robotic manipulation. Prior to contact, the sensor works as a distance sensor, whereas after contact the elastomer magnifies the near field of the proximity sensors letting the sensor interpret the indentation on elastomer as force. Contact occurs at the transition of proximity and force. We describe in detail the sensor design, its principle of operation and experimentally characterize the design parameters including polymer thickness, its mixing ratio, and emitter current of the infrared sensor. We also show that the sensor response has an inflection point at contact that is independent of an object’s surface properties, making it a robust detector for contact events. We finally demonstrate a series of use cases for the proposed PCF sensor, including (1) improving pre-grasp alignment, (2) determining contact event with objects, (3) obtaining simple 3D point cloud models of objects using both proximity and contact, and (4) registering self-generated point clouds to those from a RGB-D camera using a Baxter robot and Kinova Jaco arm.},
doi = {10.1007/s10514-018-9751-4},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1478224}, journal = {Autonomous Robots},
issn = {0929-5593},
number = 7,
volume = 42,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Apr 21 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Sat Apr 21 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record

Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 21 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Save / Share:

Works referenced in this record:

Humanoid Multimodal Tactile-Sensing Modules
journal, June 2011


Characterization of a silicon-based shear-force sensor on human subjects
journal, November 2002


A fuzzy logic controller for the application of skin pressure
conference, January 2004


Conformable and scalable tactile sensor skin for curved surfaces
conference, January 2006


Fiber optically sensorized multi-fingered robotic hand
conference, September 2015


Simultaneous localization, mapping, and manipulation for unsupervised object discovery
conference, May 2015


A new fabrication method for all-PDMS waveguides
journal, December 2013


Reactive grasping using optical proximity sensors
conference, May 2009


Improving robot manipulation through fingertip perception
conference, October 2012


Tactile Sensing—From Humans to Humanoids
journal, February 2010


Using gripper mounted infrared proximity sensors for robot feedback control
conference, January 1985


Learning to pick up objects through active exploration
conference, August 2015


A soft pneumatic actuator that can sense grasp and touch
conference, September 2015


The Feel of MEMS Barometers: Inexpensive and Easily Customized Tactile Array Sensors
journal, September 2014


Integrated force and distance sensing using elastomer-embedded commodity proximity sensors
conference, January 2016


Human-Inspired Robotic Grasp Control With Tactile Sensing
journal, December 2011


Functionalized textiles for interactive soft robotics
conference, May 2017


Normal and Shear Force Measurement Using a Flexible Polymer Tactile Sensor With Embedded Multiple Capacitors
journal, August 2008


Texture recognition and localization in amorphous robotic skin
journal, September 2015


Using infrared sensors for distance measurement in mobile robots
journal, September 2002


Soft Fiber Optic Sensors for Precision Measurement of Shear Stress and Pressure
journal, May 2013


A manipulator plays Jenga
journal, September 2008


Extrinsic dexterity: In-hand manipulation with external forces
conference, May 2014


Contact sensing and grasping performance of compliant hands
journal, August 2009


Force and proximity fingertip sensor to enhance grasping perception
conference, September 2015


Wearable motion capture suit with full-body tactile sensors
conference, May 2009


A capacitive tactile sensor for shear and normal force measurements
journal, March 1992


Increased poly(dimethylsiloxane) stiffness improves viability and morphology of mouse fibroblast cells
journal, September 2010


Simplified grasping and manipulation with dextrous robot hands
journal, December 1986


Tactile proximity sensors for robotic applications
conference, February 2013

  • Goger, D.; Alagi, H.; Worn, H.
  • 2013 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology (ICIT 2013), 2013 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology (ICIT)
  • https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIT.2013.6505804

Directions Toward Effective Utilization of Tactile Skin: A Review
journal, November 2013


Data-Driven Grasp Synthesis—A Survey
journal, April 2014


A surface micromachined microtactile sensor array
conference, January 1996


Re-configurable fluid circuits by PDMS elastomer micromachining
conference, January 1999

  • Armani, D.; Liu, C.; Aluru, N.
  • Technical Digest. IEEE International MEMS 99 Conference. Twelfth IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (Cat. No.99CH36291)
  • https://doi.org/10.1109/MEMSYS.1999.746817

A Soft Strain Sensor Based on Ionic and Metal Liquids
journal, September 2013


A Novel Type of Compliant, Underactuated Robotic Hand for Dexterous Grasping
conference, July 2014


An LED-based Tactile Sensor for Multi-sensing over Large Areas
conference, October 2006


Simplified Grasping and Manipulation with Dextrous Robot Hands
conference, July 1984


Works referencing / citing this record:

Soft robot perception using embedded soft sensors and recurrent neural networks
journal, January 2019


An Embedded, Multi-Modal Sensor System for Scalable Robotic and Prosthetic Hand Fingers
journal, December 2019


An Embedded, Multi-Modal Sensor System for Scalable Robotic and Prosthetic Hand Fingers
text, January 2020


An Embedded, Multi-Modal Sensor System for Scalable Robotic and Prosthetic Hand Fingers
text, January 2020