Tactile sensor to quantify hairy skin sensation
View Patent ↗A tactile sensor includes a base portion, a displacement portion, a displacement portion support body that supports the displacement portion in a displaceable manner in a first direction with respect to the base portion, a hair in a straight line arranged along a second direction, a hair fixing portion to which a base end of the hair is fixed, a hair fixing portion support body that turnably supports the hair fixing portion with respect to the displacement portion, a displacement detector that detects a displacement of the displacement portion with respect to the base portion, and a turn detector that detects a turn of the hair fixing portion with respect to the displacement portion. The sensations specific to the hairy skin, such as perception of a liquid surface and static electricity, can be detected from a shearing force and a moment acting on the hair.
1. A tactile sensor comprising:
a base portion;
a displacement portion;
a displacement portion support body that supports the displacement portion in a displaceable manner at least in a first direction with respect to the base portion;
a hair in a straight line arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a hair fixing portion to which a base end of the hair is fixed;
a hair fixing portion support body that supports the hair fixing portion turning within a plane including the first direction and the second direction with respect to the displacement portion;
a displacement detector that detects a displacement of the displacement portion with respect to the base portion; and
a turn detector that detects a turn of the hair fixing portion with respect to the displacement portion.
2. The tactile sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the displacement portion support body supports the displacement portion in a displaceable manner also in the second direction with respect to the base portion, and
the displacement detector includes:
a first displacement detector that detects a displacement in the first direction of the displacement portion; and
a second displacement detector that detects a displacement in the second direction of the displacement portion.
3. The tactile sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the hair is integrally formed with the hair fixing portion.
4. The tactile sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the hair fixing portion includes an insertion portion in a depressed shape, and the hair has a base end portion inserted into the insertion portion.
5. The tactile sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the insertion portion has an inner wall on which two rows of comb teeth arranged to be opposed are formed.
6. The tactile sensor according to claim 5 , wherein
a plurality of teeth constituting the comb teeth are each inclined in an insertion direction of the hair from a base end toward a distal end.
7. The tactile sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the hair is fixed with an adhesive to the hair fixing portion.