SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is directed toward improving Flexible Integrated Manufacturing (FIM) by making robots more flexible, thereby increasing economic competitiveness. Specifically, this will be achieved by researching and developing robust triaxial force sensor arrays for robot end-effectors so that less specialized end-of-arm tooling can be used for a variety of automation tasks. Besides reducing the need for custom end-effectors, the triaxial arrays, or triaxial tactile sensors, will also provide critical force information during robot tasks. This information can be used to monitor the process or in feedback control of the robot to assure that parts are properly grasped, to detect and possibly correct of slippage, and to guide manipulation. In Phase I Bonneville Scientific, Inc., will attempt to establish the feasibility of an ultrasonic technique for triaxial force sensing. If successful, this will provide the basis for the further research and development in Phase II, culminating with a complete computer-based triaxial tactile sensor system. Besides use in industrial automation, the triaxial sensors will have application ranging from automotive tire testing and development to foot force sensing and gait analysis.

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project takes a crucial step towards making manufacturing more flexible by reducing or eliminating the need for specialized end-effectors in many applications. This will be achieved by endowing general-purpose end-effectors with triaxial force sensing arrays. Information from these arrays. Information from these arrays can be used to facilitate object grasping, manipulation, and slip detection and correction, as well as increasing productivity and product quality through the monitoring and feedback controlling of these forces during the robot task cycle. Phase I established the feasibility of the proposed triaxial force sensing concept and sensor construction was greatly simplified along with making the se nsor more robust and more economical to fabricate. In Phase II of this project, a small, high-density prototype triaxial force sensor array will be designed and fabricated for use on robot end-effectors. Rubbers for use in the sensor's pad will be extensively evaluated. Support electronics for the force sensor array will be designed, fabricated, and integrated into an existing electronics uni-axial tactile sensor system. System software will be developed for operating the sensor and displaying the normal and shear force data. Once the triaxial force sensor system is fully operational, its performance will be evaluated. Arrays will find use in flexible manufacturing, industrial automation, telerobotics, tire tread testing, foot force distribution, gait analysis, development of handles on sporting goods, industrial tools, and surgical tools. Single-element sensors will be used in computer cursor control, as accelerometers, and triazial forceplates