Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 March 2009
The tactile sensor is constructed as a part of the finger of a parallel jaw hand; it is of the size of a finger and allows for a large displacement of the sensor element in response to force. The structure of the tactile sensor incorporates 20 successively and closely aligned elements, which allow for a 2.5 mm maximum displacement for each element. In the described experiments we present the capabilities of the tactile sensor. The tactile sensor has the functions of: 1) discriminating the shape of the partial surface of an object; and 2) tracing by finger on the surface along the profile of an object.