Active skin for conformable tactile interface

An active skin comprising:

• a tactile sensor substrate for including a first film formed from a dielectric elastic material and having a plurality of sensing points formed therein to be spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance, and a pair of first electrodes respectively formed on upper and lower sides of each sensing point, wherein each sensing point is a sensing embossment protruding upwardly from the tactile sensor substrate, the pair of first electrodes having a shape corresponding to that of the sensing point, and the tactile sensor substrate sensing the external force through the sensing points by detecting a change in capacitance between the upper and lower sides of each of the plurality of sensing points;
• a tactile actuator substrate including a second film formed of a dielectric elastic material and having a plurality of actuating points formed therein and, spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance so as to correspond to the plurality of sensing points, and a pair of second electrodes respectively formed on upper and lower sides of each actuating point, wherein each actuating point is an actuating embossment protruding upwardly from the tactile actuator substrate, the second pair of electrodes having a shape corresponding to that of the actuating point, the tactile actuator substrate providing tactility outside through a change in area of each of the plurality of actuating points, wherein the change in area of each of the plurality of actuating points is varied depending on a level of voltage applied to the plurality of actuating points from a voltage source included as a component of the active skin, wherein the voltage is varied depending on the change in capacitance between the upper and lower sides of each of the plurality of sensing points, wherein the voltage is only applied to an area of the second electrode corresponding to an area of the tactile sensor substrate in which the change in capacitance is generated such that only the area of the second electrode corresponding to the sensing point to which external force is transferred provides tactility outside, and wherein the plurality of actuating points protrude upwardly from the second film and maintain a convex hemisphere shape when the change in area is generated;
• and
• an insulating layer interposed between the tactile sensor substrate and the tactile actuator substrate and insulating the first electrode and the second electrode from each other.