English
2024-11-04
Industrial robot tactile sensors are important devices that can help industrial robots perceive and understand their surrounding environment. They are typically used to make robots more flexible in their work, avoid collisions, achieve more precise operations, safer cooperation, and more efficient production.
Industrial robot tactile sensors mainly include the following types:
Pressure sensor: used to measure the magnitude of force on the surface of an object, can be used to determine the hardness or presence of the object, and helps control the force and pressure of the robot when in contact with the object.
Force sensor: also known as torque sensor, installed at the joints of the robot, can measure the force situation of the robot in different directions, including the torque or rotational force on each axis, so that the robot can adjust its actions to adapt to changes in external forces.
Slip Sensors: Monitor whether an object is sliding, which is particularly useful for robots that require fine manipulation.
Tactile Sensors: Enable robots to have "tactile sensation" and perceive information such as the position, shape, hardness, and texture of objects in contact. It is usually designed as a thin device that can be integrated into robot fingers, wrists, or other contact areas, and can also detect information about the contact between industrial robots and objects, including contact points, contact forces, and the shape of contact surfaces. Common tactile sensors also include tactile arrays and proximity switches, among which tactile arrays detect the contact position and force between robots and objects through an array composed of multiple sensors; The proximity switch can detect the approach and departure of objects.
Deformation sensor: used to detect the deformation of robots when they come into contact with objects, in order to adjust the robot's movements in a timely manner.
According to the technical principles of implementing tactile perception, tactile sensors can be further subdivided into the following types:
Optical tactile sensor: There are two types: internal and external, which adjust the intensity of light by moving obstacles to the light path. It has the advantages of anti electromagnetic interference, high resolution, and requires low wiring. Electronic devices can be kept away from the sensor.
Piezoelectric tactile sensor: operates based on the piezoelectric effect, which means that when pressure is applied to the sensor element, a voltage is generated on the sensor element, and the generation of voltage is proportional to the applied pressure. This type of sensor has durability and a wide dynamic range, and can measure pressure.
Resistive tactile sensor: works based on the change in resistance between conductive polymers and electrodes. When pressure is applied, the resistance of the conductive material changes, and then the resistance is measured. This type of sensor has advantages such as high durability and good overload tolerance.
Capacitive tactile sensor: works by measuring the change in capacitance between two electrodes. The capacitance of parallel plate capacitors is related to the spacing and area of the plates, and the capacitors will vary according to the load. This type of sensor has the advantages of linear response and wide dynamic range.
Magnetic tactile sensor: works in two ways, one is to measure changes in magnetic flux density, and the other is to measure changes in magnetic coupling deformation between windings. This type of sensor has the advantages of high sensitivity and no mechanical hysteresis.
In addition, there are some other types of tactile sensors, such as thermal sensors (which measure the temperature of the surface of an object and are particularly important for industrial applications that require heat treatment), viscosity sensors (which sense the external environment by measuring the viscosity of a medium, such as changes in the viscosity of an object's surface), ultrasonic sensors (which measure distance by emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and are commonly used to detect the position of an object), and so on.
In summary, there are various types of tactile sensors for industrial robots, each with its unique working principle and application scenarios. When selecting tactile sensors, it is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as the robot's working environment, task requirements, and performance requirements.
