Development of string-type flexible displacement sensor to measure the movement of robot and human body

Abstract

The purpose of our study is to develop a flexible displacement and bending sensor which can measure the movement of human body, flexible actuator or flexible joint of the robot. The string type flexible displacement sensor (FDS for short) consists of two fixed electrodes, a slide electrode and a nylon string coated with carbon (NSCC for short). The flexible bending sensor was developed to measure the bending angle for various bending directions such as the movement of flexible joint of robot. The sensor consists of four tested FDSs, a coil spring and two plastic covers. Four FDSs are arranged in parallel at the position of 90° from the longitudinal center axis of the coil spring. The NSCCs are installed through the coil spring. The skin displacement sensor was developed using FDS to measure the movement of human body by measuring the displacement of the skin.