Development of Optical Proximity/Biaxial Force Sensor and Application to Contact Movement.

Proximity sensors measure the distance to an object and detect contact. Hence, proximity sensors are typically mounted and used in end-effectors. There might be situations where it is necessary to acquire information on not only distance and contact; but also the normal force and shear force. The conventional proximity/biaxial force sensor utilizes beam deflection but brittle material and interference limit its performance. Here we present a novel proximity/decoupled biaxial force sensor made of sturdy materials, springs, and photo reflectors. We demonstrate this sensor’s performance and advantage of the proposed sensor in teleoperation and during a task requiring rubbing an object.