Flexible piezoelectric sensor array for touch sensing of robot hand

Most Autonomous manipulation studies of robot hands require tactile sensors for accurate detection. Flexible tactile sensor reproduces human skin characteristics and provides important tactile information. This paper presents a flexible and compact touch sensor array that can be applied to robot hands. The sensor is manufactured by laser-cut polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). A sensor based on PVDF produces voltage output due to the deformation caused by the applied press. The touching location on the sensor is extracted by data processing of the voltage outputs. By the sensing system, the robot hand including the sensor array can monitor in real-time the contact object. The results show that the robot hand recognizes different contact areas when holding objects of various shapes. In addition, the sensor provides a new and simple strategy for dynamic touch sensing while providing new design ideas for electronic skin.