Ultrasound time-of-flight sensor module, ultrasound absorption sensor module, tactile-sensing systems, and related methods

A tactile-sensing method, comprising the steps of:

• configuring an ultrasound time-of-flight sensor module positioned at a tactile edge, the ultrasound time-of-flight sensor module comprising (1) an ultrasonic transducer device comprising at least one ultrasonic transducer, each ultrasonic transducer being configured as an ultrasonic transmitter and/or an ultrasonic receiver, (2) a cover layer, and (3) an elastic member interposed between the ultrasonic transducer device and the cover layer and mechanically coupled to the cover layer and to the ultrasonic transducer device;
• moving the tactile edge towards an external object and/or moving the external object towards the tactile edge such that the external object impacts and/or contacts the cover layer and the elastic member undergoes reversible compression, an ultrasound propagation distance between the ultrasonic transducer and the cover layer varying in accordance with the compression;
• transmitting, by the ultrasonic transmitter(s), ultrasound signals (transmitted ultrasound signals) towards the cover layer;
• reflecting, by the cover layer, a fraction f of ultrasound signals incident thereon (reflected ultrasound signals);
• receiving, by the ultrasonic receiver(s), reflected ultrasound signals;
• obtaining, by a signal processor, time-of-flight data at least in part from the reflected ultrasound signals;
• and
• obtaining, by the signal processor, at least one tactile-related data of the external object from the time-of-flight data;
• wherein the time-of-flight data indicate time differences between times of transmission of transmitted ultrasound signals by the ultrasonic transmitter(s) and times of receipt of reflected ultrasound signals by the ultrasonic receiver(s);
• and
• the time differences vary in accordance with the ultrasound propagation distance.