Tactile sensor
AssigneeTechnische Universität München
InventorsNicolas Alt, Eckehard Steinbach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A visuo-haptic sensor is presented which uses a deformable, passive material that is mounted in view of a camera. When objects interact with the sensor the deformable material is compressed, causing a change in the shape thereof. The change of shape is detected and evaluated by an image processor that is operatively connected to the camera. The camera may also observe the vicinity of the manipulator to measure ego-motion and motion of close-by objects. The visuo-haptic sensor may be attached to a mobile platform, a robotic manipulator or to any other machine which needs to acquire haptic information about the environment.
Claims20
A tactile sensor, comprising:
- a camera configured to capture images;
- an elastically deformable element having a front surface, a top surface, and a back surface, the top surface being arranged within view of the camera and the back surface being attached to a mounting structure;
- and
- an image processor operatively connected to the camera and configured to detect elastic deformation of the elastically deformable element in the captured images and to determine a pressure and/or a force acting on the elastically deformable element based on the detected elastic deformation.
A method for tactile sensing, comprising:
- providing an elastically deformable element on a rigid surface;
- providing a camera positioned such that a top surface of the elastically deformable element is in view of the camera;
- capturing images from the camera;
- and
- evaluating the captured images to detect elastic deformation of the elastically deformable element in the captured images to calculate a haptic tag.
A method for controlling a robot, comprising:
- providing an elastically deformable element on a rigid surface of a robot;
- providing a camera positioned such that a top surface of the elastically deformable element is in view of the camera;
- capturing images from the camera;
- evaluating the captured images to detect elastic deformation of the elastically deformable element in the captured images to calculate a force acting on a front surface of the elastically deformable element;
- and
- controlling movement of the robot in response to the calculated force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.