Triaxial 3D-Channeled Soft Optical Sensor for Tactile Robots

Soft optical transducers have the potential to fulfill the need for advanced tactile sensing in robotics. We present a fingertipshaped soft sensor with optically transparent channels that relies on soft materials and sensor morphology to measure an applied triaxial force. The proposed 3D-channeled sensor has a volume of 2.5 cm , and experimental results reveal a fifteen-fold increase in voltage compared to its bulk analogous, showcasing a sensitivity of 0.34 N/mV and 0.09 N/mV to tangential and normal forces. A prototype with a diameter of 2 mm (0.4x) indicates the feasibility of scaling down the sensor. Force magnitude is estimated with a linear model and then decomposed into its Fxy and Fz with an R of 0.93 and 0.98 within a sensing range of 4.05 N and 8.50 N, respectively. A coordinate transformation from a covariant to a cartesian reference frame is used to retrieve the direction of the tangential component of the force. The sensor was integrated into a compliant robotic hand as a proof-of-concept to demonstrate its real-time operation and suitability for grasping, paving the way for advancements in soft tactile sensors that can be embedded in soft robots.