A low-cost, high-performance, soft tri-axis tactile sensor based on eddy-current effect

Tactile sensors are essential for robotic systems to interact safely and effectively with the external world. In particular, tri-axis tactile sensors are crucial for dexterous robotic manipulations by providing shear force for slip and contact angle detection. In this paper, we present a soft tri-axis tactile sensors using flexible coils and conductive films based on eddy-current effect. Prototypes were developed, calibrated and evaluated, which achieved a force measurement resolution of 0.3 mN in each axis, with a bandwidth up to 1 kHz. The presented sensor is low-cost, robust, durable, and easily customizable for a variety of robotic and healthcare applications.