A Novel Highly-Twistable Tactile Sensing Array using Extendable Spiral Electrodes

This paper presents a novel design of highly twistable tactile sensing array which will be as artificial skin for robot applications. The proposed artificial skin, which employ extendable spiral electrodes, are highly flexible and durable so that it can conform to more complex surfaces without damaging the skin structure and the metal interconnects on the sensing array. Polydimethylsiloxsane (PDMS) is employed as the main structure material of the skin, and conductive polymer is used as the tactile sensing elements. The electrical characteristic of conductive polymer is measured. By using an 8times8 sensing array, the tactile images induced by PMMA stamps of different shapes are successfully captured.