Dynamic Rotational Sensor Using Polymer Optical Fiber for Robot Movement Assessment Based on Intensity Variation.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Fiber Optic Sensors
• Material Science

Background:

• Complex signal processing and integration challenges exist in current sensor designs.
• Robot movement assessment often requires sophisticated and costly sensor systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dynamic rotational sensor using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) fiber for robot movement assessment.
• To demonstrate a cost-effective and easily integrated solution for analyzing robot circular motion.

Main Methods:

• A sensor design based on light intensity coupling using two twisted PMMA fibers.
• The sensor utilizes bending loss in response to changes in macro-bend radius, correlating to robot rotation.
• Integration with a linear translation stage attached to the robot for motion assessment.

Main Results:

• The sensor successfully operates across a full 0°-360° rotational cycle in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions.
• Experimental validation at various rotational speeds (2°/s, 3°/s, 5°/s, 10°/s) was performed.
• Achieved a low hysteresis loss of approximately 0.77% and a sensitivity of 8.69 nW/°.

Conclusions:

• The developed PMMA fiber dynamic rotational sensor offers a practical solution for robot movement assessment.
• The sensor is cost-effective and exhibits straightforward integration into robotic systems.
• This technology enables accurate analysis of robot circular motion and rotation.