As an integral part of modern life, artificial sensors are used almost everywhere by human and machines to catch useful physical information acting between them and interacted objects and/or environment, in order to precisely and effectively perceive and deal with outside world.
In the field of intelligent machine and manufacture, a serial of six-dimensional force/torque sensors have been successfully developed by a research team in the Institute of Intelligent Machines (IIM), Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"It has been over 3 decades since we started our research in this field," said Associate Prof. SUN Yuxiang, the head of the research group. "Up to now our sensors have been applied in many fields including outer-aerospace"
The sensor consists of two parts: an elastomer structure and a signal processing module. Once a force is acting on elastomer structure, a tiny deformation occurs. Which stimulates a deformation sensing circuit embedded in the structure to generate a small electronic signal proportional to the magnitudes of the force/torque applied. These 6 dimensional force/torque signals are then sent to the signal processing module to be filtered and amplified. After further noise-removing, temperature compensation and decoupling etc., they are fed to human or machine controllers as precisely information about interaction between them and outside world.
This sensor can be used for mechanical property testing of products as well as for real-time force feedback control applications.
The team can offer customized sensor design with high precision and superior stability. "We can meet consumers' needs for tailor-made products at reasonable price,"said A. Prof. SUN.
At present, the sensors have passed 50MPa water pressure test, and the next step is to try it in the deep sea.
Six-dimensional force/torque sensor made by IIM was applied on a six-axises manipulator. (Image by ZHAO Weiwei)
