Development of Micro Tactile Sensor Chip Including Pressure, Vibration, and Temperature Sensations

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K04290
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 20020:Robotics and intelligent system-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Sohgawa Masayuki 新潟大学, 自然科学系, 准教授 (70403128)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 神田 健介 兵庫県立大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (20446735)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 触覚センサ / 振動覚センサ / 温冷覚センサ / マルチモーダル / マイクロヒータ / 圧電素子 / ひずみゲージ / カンチレバー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study was designed to develop a tactile sensor on a universal chip that can compositely detect pressure, vibration, and warm/cool sensations using the MEMS technologies. For pressure-vibration sensing, a chip with a piezoelectric and a strain-resistive elements with different electrical time response characteristics stacked on a single sensing element was fabricated, and different responses were successfully obtained simultaneously for each. On the other hand, for warm/cool sensing, a heater, which serves as a thermal source for heat transfer, was integrated on the chip to enable measurement by the chip standalone. Furthermore, by improving the thermometric element and increasing the thermal conductivity of the contact bump, stable and high-sensitivity hot/cold sensation measurement was achieved.

Free Research Field

知能機械学・機械システム

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

単一の微小な検知素子で圧覚、振動覚の検知を可能としたことで、時間応答性の異なる需要期から構成される複雑な触覚機能の一部を再現でき、よりヒトの感覚に近い触感のセンシングにつながるものと考える。また、高感度な温冷覚検知も可能としたことで、センサチップ単体でヒトの皮膚から物体への伝熱を再現したセンシングが可能となり、マイクロオーダーのガラス表面の僅かな粗さの違いによる温冷感の変化をも検知することが可能となった。