SBIR PHASE I: Tactile Array for Computer Interface

这个小企业创新研究的第一期项目是计算机接口，实用的手指和手的力传感器，它们传输用户的手和手指的运动，为定位光标，操纵物体等提供力反馈控制所必需的。其他应用范围从医疗应用到机器人、先进制造和虚拟现实模拟；需要精确定位的任何人机交互。现有的传感器无法满足这些需求。传感器不能在阵列中使用，是压力传感器，不能测量剪切力。所提出的传感器阵列可以满足触觉阵列的大部分要求。它使用的磁电薄膜的分辨率可以超过每英寸20个元素。正在开发的传感器阵列是一种全新的传感器系统。它通过磁场和磁电元件之间的耦合来测量磁致伸缩薄膜中的应变。输出的是具有良好直流响应和高灵敏度的调幅信号。它也可以测量剪切力，但最有趣的特性是能够对数组进行矩阵寻址，并同时测量所有元素。第一阶段的项目将设计、制造和测试一个传感器阵列，该阵列适用于与计算机的触觉界面。磁电材料是一种可用于阵列的新型材料，包括超声成像仪、声纳阵列、压力垫等。提出的触觉界面将广泛应用于需要手部运动反馈的系统，包括机器人，智能制造和众多医疗/诊断应用以及计算机界面。

9561221 Biter This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is for computer interfaces, practical finger and hand force sensors which are necessary to provide force feedback control for positioning cursors, manipulating objects, etc. since they transmit the user's hand and finger motion. Other applications range from medical applications to robotics, advanced manufacturing and virtual reality simulation; any man-machine interaction where accurate positioning is required. Existing sensors can not satisfy these needs. The sensors cannot be used in an array and are pressure sensors and cannot measure shear forces. The proposed sensor array being developed can meet most of the requirement for a tactile array. It uses a magnetoelectric film with a resolution that could exceed 20 elements/inch. The sensor array under development is a totally new approach to a sensor system. It measures the strain in a magnetrostrictive film by the coupling between the magnetic field and the magnetoelectric element.The output is an amplitude modulated signal with good dc response and high sensitivity. It can also measure shear forces but the most interesting property is the ability to matrix address the array and actually measure all elements simultaneously. The phase I program will design, fabricate and test a sensor array suitable for the tactile interfaces to a computer. The magnetoelectric material is a new material which can be used in arrays, including ultrasonic imagers, sonar arrays, pressure mats, etc. The proposed tactile interface will have wide use in systems that require feedback from hand motion, including robotics, smart manufacturing and numerous medical/diagnostic applications as well as computer interfaces.