Piezoelectric tactile sensor

Force magnitude and force pattern responsive tactile sensing apparatus comprising the combination of:

• a two-dimensional array of electrode elements disposed in electrical and physical isolation across a planar surface area portion of a semiconductor substrate member;
• a force responsive physically deformable film of piezoelectric effect material disposed over said array of electrode elements and said substrate member surface area portions, in electrical capacitance coupling with said electrode element array;
• an electrically conductive common electrode member disposed over a second distal surface portion of said film of piezoelectric effect material and connected with a common return electrical node of said sensing apparatus;
• electronic amplifier means, including a plurality of high input impedance electronic amplifier circuits physically disposed adjacent to said array of electrode elements with each said amplifier circuit having respective input nodes connected with one of said electrode elements and with said common return electrical node for amplifying a piezoelectric effect electrical charge signal received on said electrode element during sensed tactile force physical deformations of said film of piezoelectric effect material;
• low voltage electrical charge generating means temporarily connected with each said electrode element of said array for pre-conditioning said piezoelectric effect material to a substantially uniform signal generation state prior to each said tactile force physical deformation.