Structural optimization of the thin-type four-axis force/moment sensor for a robot finger using response surface methodology and desirability function

A multi-axis force/moment sensor, which can measure force and moment, is helpful for robotic force control. However, the smallest multi-axis force/moment sensor has excessive height, which restricts postures in tasks by a robot hand. Therefore, we aim to optimize the structure of the thin-type four-axis force/moment sensor that we developed, which can measure the twisting moment on the finger cushion of a robot hand as if it were human, including strain gauge. As a result of applying structural optimization techniques using response surface methodology and desirability function on the four-axis force/moment sensor by finite element analysis, we obtained optimum design variables and validated the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.