On the bandwidth of 6-axis force/torque sensors for underwater applications

The effect of the rubber sealing on the bandwidth of an optoelectronic force/torque sensor for underwater robotic applications is investigated in this paper. If compared to commercial F/T sensors, such as the ones for industrial applications, the sensor here described is designed in such a way to present a considerable compliance to deal with uncertainties both in the object shape and in the environments. Moreover, optoelectronic components have been used as sensible elements for the development of the device, allowing a relatively simple and reliable sensor implementation. These properties allow an easy sensor integration in complex robotic systems, such as in the fingers of robotic a gripper for underwater applications. The basic working principle and the design of the sensor are presented in the paper, and its main features are discussed to illustrate by means of experimental data. Finally, the investigation and the experimental validation of the device used as an intrinsic tactile sensor are reported, and the comparison of different materials for the rubber sealing in terms of their effects on the sensor performance is discussed.