A New Concept for an Intelligent Touch Sensor

Currently, tactile sensors comprise discrete miniature load cell like assemblies, arranged in matrices of force monitoring sites. Each is capable of monitoring STATIONARY applied forces. However, this advantage of being able to monitor several forces simultaneously is overweighed by the fact that these forces can only be STATIONARY and in locations where measuring sites exist.

A new concept for a “more than a touch and less than a tactile” sensor is herein introduced. It consists of a rigid platform simply supported at four points on four load cells. Information obtained from these load cells determines both magnitude and location of any MOBILE force applied on the plate. The number of measuring sites here is infinite and the forces monitored do not have to be STATIONARY. This ought to attract more applications.

Two designs are suggested and some applications visualized.