• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.943-949
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• 2005

For the psychophysical experiment of tactile perception of shapes, experimental system consists of vibrator, tactile stimulation array, measurement and control system is designed and prepared. The psychophysical experiment for the tactile perception of shape is carried out by the estimation of the subject group. Through the experiment the threshold of tactile perception to multi-stimuli with some line shape is obtained. Also the appropriate tactile stimulus intensity and frequency of the tactile stimulation array to recognize arbitrary shapes effectively are derived and discussed.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2005

This paper presents fabrication process and experimental results of two different types of flexible MEMS biosensors based on polymer/metal multilayer processing techniques. One type of a biosensor is a microelectrode array (MEA) for nerve signal monitoring through implanting the MEA into a living body, and another is a tactile sensor capable of being mounted on an arbitrary-shaped surface. The microelectrode array was fabricated and its electrical characteristics have been examined through in vivo and in vitro experiment. For sensitive skin, flexible tactile sensor array was fabricated and its sensitivity has been analyzed. Mechanical flexibility of these biosensors has been achieved by using a polymer, and it is verified by implanting a MEA to an animal and mounting the tactile sensor on an arbitrary-shaped surface.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.171-175
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• 2004

A tactile stimulator array using stacked PZT is fabricated and evaluated in this paper. The purpose of this research is the development of a tactile stimulator to represent the obstacle information for the visually disabled. As a first step of this research, we investigate the physiological characteristics of tactile stimuli and design a tactile stimulator based on the investigated results. Also we evaluated a fabricated tactile stimulator. The prototype of tactile stimulator which has 2x2 tactor elements with 3mm spacing is fabricated using stacked PZT actuator. In order to evaluate the characteristics of this tactile stimulator, physiological experiments are carried out. In the experiment, the threshold of tactile stimulus intensity within a frequency range of 5-500Hz and at various stimulus amplitudes are investigated. According to the obtained experimental result, the input signal of tactile stimulator for the transfer of obstacle information is determined. Also physiological experiments of multi-stimuli recognition such as shift and rotation are carried out.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.743-748
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• 2015

This paper reports the enhanced fabrication and characterization of a $3{\times}3$ array tactile actuator composed of cellulose acetate. The array tactile actuator, with dimensions of $15{\times}15{\times}1mm^3$, consists of 9 pillar-supported cells made from a cellulose-acetate molding. The fabrication process and performance test along with the results for the suggested actuator are explained. To improve the cell-array fabrication, a laser cut was adopted after the molding process. The displacement of the unit cell increased the input voltage and frequency. Various top masses are added onto the actuator to mimic the touch force, and the acceleration of the actuator is measured under actuation. When 2 kV is applied to the actuator, the maximum acceleration is 0.64 g, which is above the vibrotactile threshold. The actuation mechanism is associated with the electrostatic force between the top and bottom electrodes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.985-986
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• 2010

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1222-1228
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• 2002

This research is the development of a flexible tactile sensor array for service robots using PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) film for the detection of a contact state in real time. The prototype of the tactile sensor which has 8${\times}$8 array using PVDF film was fabricated. In the fabrication procedure, the electrode patterns and the common electrode of the thin conductive tape were attached to both sides of the 281$\mu\textrm{m}$ thickness PVDF film using conductive adhesive. The sensor was covered with polyester film for insulation and attached to the rubber base for a stable structure. The proposed fabrication method is simple and easy to make the sensor. The sensor has the advantages in the implementing for practical applications because its structure is flexible and the shape of the each tactile element can be designed arbitrarily. The signals of a contact force to the tactile sensor were sensed and processed in the DSP system in which the signals are digitized and filtered. Finally, the signals were integrated for taking the force profile. The processed signals of the output of the sensor were visualized in a personal computer, and the shape and force distribution of the contact object were obtained. The reasonable performance for the detection of the contact state was verified through the sensing examples.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.450-453
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• 2004

A tactile stimulator array using stacked PZT is fabricated and evaluated in this paper. The purpose of this research is the development of a tactile stimulator to represent the obstacle information for the visually disabled. As a first step of this research, we investigate the physiological characteristics of tactile stimuli and design a tactile stimulator based on the investigated results. Also we evaluated a fabricated tactile stimulator. The prototype of tactile stimulator which has 2$\times$2 tactor elements with 3mm spacing is fabricated using stacked PZT actuator. In order to evaluate the characteristics of this tactile stimulator, physiological experiments are carried out. In the experiment, the threshold of tactile stimulus intensity within a frequency range of 5-500Hz at various stimulus amplitudes are investigated. According to the obtained experimental result, the input signal of tactile stimulator for the effective transfer of obstacle information is determined. Also physiological experiments of multi-stimuli recognition such as shift and rotation are carried out

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.535-547
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• 2012

Controlling the balance of motion in a context involving a biped robot navigating a rugged surface or a step is a difficult task. In the present study, a $3{\times}5$ flexible piezoelectric tactile sensor array is developed to provide a foot pressure map and zero moment point for a biped robot. We introduce an innovative concept involving structural electrodes on a piezoelectric film in order to improve the sensitivity. The tactile sensor consists of a polymer piezoelectric film, PVDF, between two patterned flexible print circuit substrates (FPC). Additionally, a silicon rubber bump-like structure is attached to the FPC and covered by a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer. Experimental results show that the output signal of the sensor exhibits a linear behavior within 0.2 N ~ 9 N, while its sensitivity is approximately 42 mV/N. According to the characteristic of the tactile sensor, the readout module is designed for an in-situ display of the pressure magnitudes and distribution within $3{\times}5$ taxels. Furthermore, the trajectory of the zero moment point (ZMP) can also be calculated by this program. Consequently, our tactile sensor module can provide the pressure map and ZMP information to the in-situ feedback to control the balance of moment for a biped robot.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.30 no.9 s.252
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• pp.1160-1165
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• 2006

In this paper, the 2-dimensional uniaxial force sensors array is introduced to detect the distributed force using fiber Bragg gratings. Uniaxial force transducer was designed to avoid the chirping and micro bending which degrade the performance of the sensor. The Brags wavelength shift of the sensor was estimated using the finite element analysis. Using this uniaxial force sensor, the uniaxial force sensors array $(3{\times}3)$ was fabricated, and the Performance of this sensors array was evaluated. The Presented sensors may has very simple configuration and its wiring is very simple compared with any other force sensors arrays.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.215-220
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• 2012

Miniature ultrasonic and tactile sensors on Si substrate have been proposed, fabricated and characterized to detect objects for a dexterous robot. The ultrasonic sensor consists of piezoelectric PZT thin film on a Pt/Ti/$SiO_2$ and/or Si diaphragm fabricated using a micromachining technique; the ultrasonic sensor detects the piezoelectric voltage as an ultrasonic wave. The sensitivity has been enhanced by improving the device structure, and the resonant frequency in the array sensor has been equalized. Position detection has been carried out by using a sensor array with high sensitivity and uniform resonant frequency. The tactile sensor consists of four or three warped cantilevers which have NiCr or $Si:B^+$ piezoresistive layer for stress detection. Normal and shear stresses can be estimated by calculation using resistance changes of the piezoresitive layers on the cantilevers. Gripping state has been identified by using the tactile sensor which is installed on finger of a robot hand, and friction of objects has been measured by slipping the sensor.