A Robot Sensor for Measuring Thermal Properties of Gripped Objects

Abstract

Robot manipulators will require a wide range of sensory systems if they are to become more widely useful. In this communication we describe a novel robot sensor designed to measure some of the thermal properties of a gripped object. A mathematical model of the sensor is proposed and validated by comparing predicted and measured sensor responses for a range of differing materials. The mathematical model can be used to analyze the sensor output and determine the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of an unknown object held by the robot manipulator. This information will enable robot systems to discriminate between objects made of different materials and to aid recognition of unknown objects by providing information about their material structure.