Flexible Tactile Sensor Skin Using Wireless Sensor Elements Coupled with 2D Microwaves

Abstract

The stretchable sensor skin we propose uses microwaves propagating in a two-Dimensional Signal Transmission (2DST) sheet. A small tactile sensor chip with a pair of Resonant Proximity Connectors (RPCs) couples with 2D microwaves carrying signals. Chip operating power is also supplied by 2D microwaves. The RPC is a spiral electrode whose arc length is a quarter of the electromagnetic wavelength. Chip operating power is supplied by 2D microwaves. Sensor chips are connected to the 2DST sheet by RPCs without electrical contacts anywhere on the sheet. Resonance induced at the electrode reduces impedance between the connector and the conductive layer of the 2DST sheet, enabling sensor chips to be connected stably to the sheet. Experimental results on the RPC show the concept to be effective. We fabricated a 1-bit (touch detection) tactile sensor element consisting of a RFID-tag and RPCs, and confirmed in experiments that the sensor element operates in a stretchable 2DST sheet.