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A silicon-based tactile sensor for finger-mounted applications
D J Beebe1, D D Denton, R G Radwin
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 61801, USA. dbeebe@uiuc.edu
IEEE Transactions on Bio-Medical Engineering
|February 25, 1998
Summary
This study introduces a flexible silicon force sensor for human subject testing. The taller dome design improved sensitivity, showing potential for accurate force and direction measurement.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Accurate force sensing is crucial for human-subject interaction studies.
- Existing force sensors may lack flexibility or sensitivity for dynamic human movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a novel silicon-based force sensor in a flexible package.
- To assess the sensor's performance and sensitivity during human subject testing.
Main Methods:
- A silicon diaphragm force sensor with a Torlon dome was designed and fabricated.
- Two dome heights (0.5 mm and 1.5 mm) were compared for sensitivity.
- Dynamic calibration and tracking experiments were conducted on five human subjects wearing the sensor on their thumb.
Main Results:
- The sensor with the taller dome (1.5 mm) exhibited enhanced sensitivity.
- Both applied force and loading direction were statistically significant factors (P < 0.05).
- Subject variability contributed 8.7% to the variance; loading direction contributed 1.9%.
Conclusions:
- The flexible silicon force sensor demonstrates promising performance for human subject applications.
- The taller dome design offers improved sensitivity, crucial for precise force measurement.
- Further research is needed to address subject-dependent errors in force tracking.