Contact Region Estimation Based on a Vision-Based Tactile Sensor Using a Deformable Touchpad

A new method is proposed to estimate the contact region between a sensor and an object using a deformable tactile sensor. The sensor consists of a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, light-emitting diode (LED) lights and a deformable touchpad. The sensor can obtain a variety of tactile information, such as the contact region, multi-axis contact force, slippage, shape, position and orientation of an object in contact with the touchpad. The proposed method is based on the movements of dots printed on the surface of the touchpad and classifies the contact state of dots into three types—A non-contacting dot, a sticking dot and a slipping dot. Considering the movements of the dots with noise and errors, equations are formulated to discriminate between the contacting dots and the non-contacting dots. A set of the contacting dots discriminated by the formulated equations can construct the contact region. Next, a method is developed to detect the dots in images of the surface of the touchpad captured by the CCD camera. A method to assign numbers to dots for calculating the displacements of the dots is also proposed. Finally, the proposed methods are validated by experimental results

Micro-Nano Mechatronics - New Trends in Material, Measurement, Control, Manufacturing and Their Applications in Biomedical Engineering

Micro/Nano mechatronics is currently used in broader spectra, ranging from basic applications in robotics, actuators, sensors, semiconductors, automobiles, and machine tools. As a strategic technology highlighting the 21st century, this technology is extended to new applications in bio-medical systems and life science, construction machines, and aerospace equipment, welfare/human life engineering, and other brand new scopes. Basically, the miniaturizing technology is important to realize high performance, low energy consumption, low cost performance, small space instrumentation, light-weight, and so on. This book presents the summary of our project Center of Excellence for Education and Research of Micro-Nano Mechatronics. The project implements a strategy to realize applications of micro-nano mechatronics, which are based on mechanical engineering or materials science, control systems engineering, and advanced medical engineering. The chapters describe the research advances in micro/nano measurement and control, micro/nano design and manufacturing, nano materials science, and their applications in biomedical engineering. The publication of this book was supported by Nagoya University, the 21st COE program ""Micro- and NanoMechatronics for Information-Based Society,"" and the global COE program “COE for Education and Research of Micro-Nano Mechatronics.” </span