Electrical Connector Assembly Based on Compliant Tactile Finger with Fingernail

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Mechatronics
• Biomimetics

Background:

• Current robotic assembly often uses rigid grippers with limited perception, leading to alignment failures.
• Inconsistencies in robotic systems cause angular misalignment, hindering efficient electronic product assembly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a novel tactile finger inspired by human fingers for improved robotic assembly.
• To enhance perception and manipulation capabilities in automated assembly processes.

Main Methods:

• Developed a tactile finger with a compliant skin layer for error tolerance.
• Integrated tactile sensing elements for contact status detection.
• Incorporated a rigid fingernail for enhanced manipulation force.
• Proposed a tactile-based alignment algorithm for orientation control.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 100% success rate in U-disk insertion tasks.
• Validated generalization capability through the assembly of three types of electrical connectors.
• Demonstrated improved tolerance for alignment errors due to passive compliance.

Conclusions:

• The bio-inspired tactile finger significantly improves robotic assembly success rates.
• The tactile finger's design offers enhanced perception and manipulation for delicate operations.
• This approach provides a robust solution for automated assembly of electronic components.