Melexis recently presented Tactaxis, a fully integrated and compact (5 mm x 5 mm x 5 mm) tactile sensor with a soft interface that provides the 3D force vector acting on its surface. The sensor improves the functionality of the robots' hands and grippers, making delicate operations (e.g. fruit picking) possible.
"Robots need the sense of touch to manipulate fragile objects. For such applications, we have developed a new magnetic sensor to accurately measure touch force, which is also robust in the presence of disturbances," explains Gael Close, Global Innovation Manager at Melexis. "By exploitingthe properties of our Triaxis® magnetic sensor technology, we have taken a significant step forward in the field of tactile sensors for robots, providing a robust and competitive multi-axis sensing solution. We will use the Tactaxis prototype as the basis for further development activities."
The prototype features more pixels for the 3D magnetometer and in fact uses Melexis' proven Triaxis® technology. The sensor is combined with a magnet that is embedded in an elastomeric material. The latter has a soft contact interface, emulating the characteristics of human skin. The configuration offers high sensitivity to generate a response to the detection of even small amounts of force. The resolution obtained for force is 2.7 mN, which is sufficient to distinguish weight variation of a fraction of a gram (~0.3 grams).
The gradiometric approach makes the sensor immune to stray magnetic fields. This avoids potential measurement errors. It is also robust enough to cope with harsh conditions (temperature changes, etc.). Unlike competing optical-based tactile sensors, Tactaxis is fully integrated. It will be possible to produce high volumes of factory-calibrated sensors. This semiconductor process results in important advantages in terms of cost and reliability.
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