Vibration-based multi-axis force sensing: Design, characterization, and modeling

IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 2020

Winnie Kuang, Michael Yip, Jun Zhang

Publisher Link: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9006802/

Abstract: It is strongly desirable but challenging to obtain force sensing mechanisms that are low-cost, volumetrically compact, away from contact location, and can be easily integrated into existing and emerging robot systems. For example, having a bulky force sensor near the tip of surgical robot tools may be impractical as it may require a large incision, infect biological tissues, and negatively affect surgeon’s operation. In this letter, a new vibration-based approach was proposed to measure the force applied to a structure utilizing the structure’s acceleration signals. By exciting the structure using a vibration motor, the structure’s acceleration signals in time domain showed discernible ellipse-shaped profiles when a force was applied. For the first time , these acceleration profiles were characterized via regression and employed for estimating the direction and magnitude of the applied force. Experimental results showed that …

Kuang et al. (2020) Vibration-based multi-axis force sensing: Design, characterization, and modeling, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 3082-3089.