High resolution tactile sensing with silicon MEMS sensors for measurement of fingertip sensation

Abstract

In this paper, novel semiconductor silicon based MEMS tactile sensors for measurement of fingertip sensation and their high resolution detection ability of surface texture are presented. All the device structure is made from silicon single crystal layer on SOI wafer. The contactor of tactile sensor is designed to have similar size and cross-section with a human's fingerprint. Two-axis movements of a contactor tip are independently detected to obtain the real vibrating motion of a finger print under active sensing (sweeping) motion of fingertip. On the other hand, macro-area tactile sensors of “overall contact pressure” and “macro-area sliding friction” are also integrated on the same chip, since combination of micro and macro tactile information is important in human's fingertip tactile sensation. The multiple detection abilities will be very powerful for understanding how humans recognize and distinguish objects using their fingertip skin sensation. As an example of original application, “visualization of cloth surface texture” is demonstrated.