Deformable sensors and methods for modifying membrane stiffness through magnetic attraction are provided. A deformable sensor may include a membrane coupled to a housing to form a sensor cavity. The deformable sensor may further include magnetically-attractable particles located on or within the membrane. The deformable sensor may additionally include a magnetic object located at a base within the sensor cavity. The magnetic object may be configured to modifiably attract the magnetically-attractable particles and modify stiffness of the deformable sensor by modifying air pressure within the sensor cavity, based on modifiable strength of the magnetic object to attract the magnetically-attractable particles.

A method includes disposing a wafer in a cup of a clamshell of an electroplating apparatus. The wafer is clamped using the cup and a cone of the clamshell. A pressure force applied by the cone against the wafer is detected. Stopping clamping the wafer when the pressure force is higher than a predetermined value.

A deformable sensor for detecting a pose and force associated with an object is provided. The deformable sensor includes a housing, a deformable membrane coupled to an upper portion of the housing, an enclosure defined by the housing and the deformable membrane and configured to be filled with a medium, a time-of-flight receiver positioned within the enclosure and a plurality of time-of-flight emitters arranged around the time-of-flight receiver within the enclosure. The plurality of time-of-flight emitters are configured to emit signals toward the deformable membrane at different times. The time-of-flight receiver is configured to receive signals reflected from the deformable membrane.

Components and sensors for robotic manipulators are described that enable grasping and manipulation of objects with a high degree of resolution.

The present application discloses implementations that relate to devices and techniques for sensing position, force, and torque. Devices described herein may include a light emitter, photodetectors, and a curved reflector. The light emitter may project light onto the curved reflector, which may reflect portions of that projected light onto one or more of the photodetectors. Based on the illuminances measured at the photodetectors, the position of the curved reflector may be determined. In some implementations, the curved reflector and the light emitter may be elastically coupled via one or more spring elements; in these implementations, a force vector representing a magnitude and direction of a force applied against the curved reflector may be determined based on the position of the curved reflector.

A clamping force visualization device, including a first clamping body (01) for clamping an object; the first clamping body (01) is telescopically assembled on a base (14), an elastic element (110) is provided between the first clamping body (01) and the base (14), and a clamping force scale (11) and a reading indicator (15) are respectively provided on the first clamping body (01) and the base (14); when the first clamping body (01) clamps the object, the elastic element (110) measures a clamping force and the reading indicator (15) points to the clamping force scale (11) for reading, so that the magnitude of the clamping force can be intuitively seen and read during clamping, thereby achieving accurate clamping. A clamp including the clamping force visualization device is also involved.

A structural load cell case for a pick and place robotic system that prevents torsion, bending, and overloading from damaging sensors is disclosed. The structural load cell case includes a base, an inner tube that houses the load cell, and a roller sleeve outside the inner tube. The base is adapted to connect to a load and includes a compression spring interfaced with a first part of the load cell. The roller sleeve includes a plurality of roller bearings in contact with the inner tube. The inner tube is free to slide along an axis of the roller sleeve up to pre-determined limits, but is constrained from rotating or translating in directions other than the axis of the roller sleeve.

A clamping force measuring instrument for a radial clamping device having at least one force sensor for detecting a clamping force of the clamping device and an evaluation device for evaluating sensor data of the force sensor. The clamping force measuring instrument is embodied as a modular clamping force measuring instrument, having an evaluation module a sensor module. The sensor module includes at least one measurement surface and the force sensor. The evaluation module has a radio interface, a memory and/or a display device. The sensor module and the evaluation module are configured for coupling to one another by a coupling device and each has a data connection device. The data connection devices are connected to one another to produce a data connection in the event of the sensor module being coupled to the evaluation module.

A tactile sensor has an electrostatic capacitance-type sensor portion having a layered structure in which a first electrode layer, an elastic layer, and a second electrode layer are layered.

The first electrode layer has plural first electrodes, and the second electrode layer is configured by one or plural second electrodes in a single layer. Two or more of the plural first electrodes are partially-overlapping electrodes that partially overlap with the second electrode as viewed in a normal direction of a contacting surface of the sensor portion. A number of one or plural openings formed in one of the second electrodes, or a number of one or plural island portions formed by one or plural second electrodes, is less than a number of the plural first electrodes.

The invention relates to a crimping pliers force sensor. The crimping pliers force sensor comprises a transfer body which is contacted by a die half and a supporting body. At least one piezoelectric film is arranged between the transfer body and the supporting body. The transfer body and the supporting body comprise protrusions and recesses. By the protrusions and recesses the transfer body is floatingly accommodated in the supporting body with the provision of a guidance in a transversal plane.