A novel configuration of tactile sensor to acquire the correlation between surface roughness and frictional force

In this paper, a novel configuration of (horizontal type) MEMS tactile sensor that can interact with micro surface roughness at a high resolution are proposed and reported for quantification of the fingertip sense. Two-axis movements of the contactor-tip are independently detected by the two independent suspensions. The contactor is sticking out of the side surface of the silicon chip, and its over-range motion is protected by the embedded stopper structure during the sweeping motion for tactile sensing on the object. In the evaluation experiment, Correlation between the surface shape and the local frictional force were successfully obtained at the same time and at the same point for many samples (paper, plastic, rubber etc.) for the first time.