Systems for providing electro-mechanical sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9239346-B2
Application number	US-201313752286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2013
Priority date	Jan 28, 2012
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

Systems for providing electro-mechanical sensors are provided. In some embodiments, a system for providing an electro-mechanical sensor comprising: a flexible material forming at least a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel includes a first plate region and the second channel forms a second plate region that is substantially aligned with the first plate region; and an electrically conductive fluid that fills the first channel and the second channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing an electro-mechanical sensor comprising:
a flexible material forming at least a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel includes a first plate region and the second channel forms a second plate region that is substantially aligned with the first plate region;
an electrically conductive fluid that fills the first channel, including the first plate region, and the second channel, including the second plate region; and
wherein the combination of the first channel with the second channel form a taxel.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plate region and the second plate region are arranged so that the first plate region and the second plate region move relative to one another when a force is applied to the flexible material.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material forms a compressible region between the first plate region and the second plate region.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the compressible region is filled with a softer substance than the flexible material.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the softer substance is air.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a circuit that is responsive to a capacitance formed by the first plate region and the second plate region.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the circuit determines an output voltage corresponding to the capacitance formed by the first plate region and the second plate region.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the output voltage is converted to a digital signal by an analog-to-digital-converter.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive fluid is Galinstan.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is polydimethylsiloxane.

11. A system for providing an electro-mechanical sensor comprising:
a means for forming a flexible material with at least a first channel and a second channel, wherein the first channel includes a first plate region and the second channel forms a second plate region that is substantially aligned with the first plate region;
a means for filling the first channel, including the first plate region, and the second channel with an electrically conductive fluid, including the second plate region; and
wherein the combination of the first channel with the second channel form a taxel.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first plate region and the second plate region are arranged so that the first plate region and the second plate region become closer when a force is applied to the flexible material.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for forming a flexible material forms a compressible region between the first plate region and the second plate region.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the compressible region is filled with a softer substance than the flexible material.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the softer substance is air.

16. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a means for generating an output that is responsive to a capacitance formed by the first plate region and the second plate region.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the means for generating an output determines an output voltage corresponding to the capacitance formed by the first plate region and the second plate region.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a means for converting the output voltage to a digital signal.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive fluid is Galinstan.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the flexible material is polydimethylsiloxane.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Santos Veronica J
• Posner Jonathan
• Ponce Wong Ruben

Classifications

• G01L1/146

  for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays (G01L1/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R27/2605 Primary

  Measuring capacitance (capacitive sensors G01D5/24) · CPC title

• G01D5/2417 Primary

  by varying separation · CPC title

• G01L25/00

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus for measuring force, torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency · CPC title