Fabrication of a Flexible Array for Tactile Sensors with Microcantilevers and the Measurement of the Distribution of Normal and Shear Forces

A Tactile sensor system consisting of elements with three microcantilevers embedded in a cylindrical elastomer has been fabricated by micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. These sensor small size (3 ×4 mm 2 ) chips are mounted on a flexible sheet, and thus the fabricated sensor array can be set even on a curved surface. In addition, the spacial distribution of normal and shear forces is obtained when two kinds of objects (an acrylic hemisphere and a brass cylinder) come in contact with the fabricated sensor shifted laterally. The distribution results appropriately reflect the surface shape of the object and give the behavior of the forces vector.