Simultaneous rotary and linear displacement sensor based on soft pneumatic sensing chambers

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Mechatronics
• Sensor Technology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Industrial and research applications require specialized displacement sensors, especially in environments with strong electromagnetic interference (EMI) and spatial constraints.
• Traditional sensors often fail in high-EMI conditions due to metallic components or electrical principles, and multidimensional measurements are limited.
• There is a need for flexible, compact, and electromagnetically compatible sensors capable of simultaneous multi-directional displacement measurement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel soft sensor capable of simultaneously measuring linear and rotational displacements.
• To design a sensor with Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) for use in high-EMI environments.
• To develop a flexible sensor suitable for space-constrained and body-interacting applications.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel soft sensor utilizing Soft Pneumatic Sensing Chambers (SPSCs).
• Optimization of sensor operating parameters using Abaqus software.
• Performance assessment through laboratory setup, mathematical modeling, and machine learning calibration.

Main Results:

• The soft sensor demonstrated simultaneous measurement of linear and rotational displacements.
• Achieved an accuracy of 0.49 mm for linear and 5.4° for rotational displacement.
• Attained a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.05 mm and 0.48° respectively, validated by machine learning.

Conclusions:

• The developed SPSC-based soft sensor is effective for simultaneous linear and rotational displacement measurement.
• The sensor's EMC, compact size, and flexibility make it suitable for challenging industrial, research, and body-interacting applications.
• Machine learning calibration provides a highly accurate method for assessing sensor performance.