A flexible, three material, 3D-printed, shear force sensor for use on finger tips

Abstract

This paper shows the development and characterization of a 3D-printed flexible finger tip sensor that measures both shear and normal forces. The sensor is fabricated using three material fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D-printing. The sensing principle is based on the mechanical deformation of the finger tips caused by normal and shear-forces. Therefore, the sensor is flexible and can measure the interaction forces between the environment and the finger tips, while keeping the loss of touch sensation low. Characterization shows the sensor is capable of distinguishing between normal and a shear-force components.