Six-axis capacitive force/torque sensor based on dielectric elastomer

Abstract

The six axis F/T sensor is a primary component for the robotic technologies, but its high unit cost hampers the popularization to the robotic applications. In this paper, we present a six-axis force-torque capacitive sensor based on dielectric elastomer. Dielectric elastomer is compressed and deformed with external forces acting on it. Its deformation results in the variation of capacitance, which can be used as a kind of capacitive sensing scheme. The proposed sensor consists of plastic structure and dielectric elastomer capacitors. Since it takes a simple structure, it is possible to fabricate by using a plastic molding process, which results in extremely lower cost than existing off-the-shelf products. We present the basic structure and design of the sensor with the explanation of its working principle. A fabrication method dedicated to the sensor is developed and finally, a prototype will be demonstrated with calibration procedures.