A tactile sensor based on magneto-sensitive elastomer to determine the position of an indentation

Simon Gast,Klaus Zimmermann

doi:10.5194/jsss-9-319-2020

Simon Gast, Klaus Zimmermann

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5194/jsss-9-319-2020

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Abstract

Abstract. In this paper, we investigate the capabilities of a tactile sensor based on magneto-sensitive elastomers (MSEs). The main feature of the sensor is the determination of the position of indentation. The principle is based on inductance measurements of multiple planar coils and a soft magneto-sensitive layer. The proposed prototype consists of a linear array of hexagonal coils with overlapping sections. First, the results of the experiments are presented, which include a sampling of a sensor region with indentations of constant depth. Subsequently, we introduce a mathematical model based on the bell-shaped flux density distribution of a planar coil. This model consists of ellipse equations with three parameters and a polynomial fit for each parameter. Finally, solving the system of equations results in the determination of the x coordinate of the indentation.

Highlights

Magneto-sensitive elastomers (MSEs) offer great opportunities for technical applications that require elastic components and adjustable material properties
Several applications based on MSEs have been proposed, like force sensor, magnetic field and acceleration sensors (Yoo et al, 2016; Qi et al, 2018; Günther et al, 2017)
The authors use the inductance change in a planar coil to detect a deformation of a close MSE layer

Summary

Introduction

Magneto-sensitive elastomers (MSEs) offer great opportunities for technical applications that require elastic components and adjustable material properties. MSEs consist of magnetic particles embedded in an elastomer matrix. Several applications based on MSEs have been proposed, like force sensor, magnetic field and acceleration sensors (Yoo et al, 2016; Qi et al, 2018; Günther et al, 2017). Besides sensor applications of MSE, it is used for actively controlled base isolators (Li et al, 2013). A recent investigation proposed a tactile sensor based on MSEs (Kawasetsu et al, 2017). There are a small number of investigations in which the MSE is used simultaneously as functional, sensitive element and an actively controlled part of an application (Li et al, 2018)

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Discussion

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