An Artificial Skin for Detecting Pressure and Shear Forces simultaneously based on Capacitive Sensor and Magnetic Sensor

Abstract

Combining magnetic sensors and capacitive sensors, we have developed an artificial skin that not only can identify magnetic conductive metal, non-magnetic conductive metal and human being but also detect normal force and shear stress. The sensor is only 13 × 13 mm in size and is equipped with 2 × 2 capacitive pressure sensors and a three-axis magnetic type force sensor. We found that sensitive magnetic type force sensors are affected by some metals and capacitive sensors are affected by human body capacitance. With the magnetic type force sensor, the 3D distance between the magnet and the magnetic sensor can be measured, which is corresponding to 3D tactile force. Combining these two sensors, we can achieve a novel composite sensing for the tactile artificial skin. That is the device determines whether the contact is a human, magnetic conductive metal or non-magnetic, and simultaneously measures the normal force and shear stress change to the sensor.