A finger shaped tactile sensor using an optical waveguide

A finger-shaped tactile sensor consisting of a charge-coupled device (CCD) and a semispherical optical waveguide covered with an elastic sheet and connected to a light source is proposed. The principle of the sensor is based on producing the scattering light at the sensor-object contact. The contact location is recognized using a CCD to detect light. By a simple calculation of the equation derived from the sensor surface geometry, the sensor can also provide the surface normal of the touched object. Through experiments using a prototype sensor, the fundamental characteristics of the sensor are evaluated and the principle of the sensor is confirmed.<>