Achieving high spatial resolution in contact sensing for robotic manipulation often comes at the price of increased complexity in fabrication and integration. One traditional approach is to fabricate a large number of taxels, each delivering an individual, isolated response to a stimulus. In contrast, proposed sensor includes a continuous volume of soft material, e.g., a piezoresistive elastomer with a number of terminals embedded inside. Piezoresistive effects can be measured between all pairs of terminals in the set, and this rich signal set can contain the information needed to pinpoint contact location with high accuracy using regression algorithms. Submillimeter median accuracy can be demonstrated in locating contact on a 10 mm by 16 mm sensor using only four terminals (creating six unique pairs). In addition to extracting more information from fewer wires, this approach lends itself to simple fabrication methods and makes no assumptions about the underlying geometry, simplifying future integration on robot fingers.

Achieving high spatial resolution in contact sensing for robotic manipulation often comes at the price of increased complexity in fabrication and integration. One traditional approach is to fabricate a large number of taxels, each delivering an individual, isolated response to a stimulus. In contrast, proposed sensor includes a continuous volume of soft material, e.g., a piezoresistive elastomer with a number of terminals embedded inside. Piezoresistive effects can be measured between all pairs of terminals in the set, and this rich signal set can contain the information needed to pinpoint contact location with high accuracy using regression algorithms. Submillimeter median accuracy can be demonstrated in locating contact on a 10 mm by 16 mm sensor using only four terminals (creating six unique pairs). In addition to extracting more information from fewer wires, this approach lends itself to simple fabrication methods and makes no assumptions about the underlying geometry, simplifying future integration on robot fingers.

A passive two-terminal circuit element may include a resistor including a carbon-metal composite resistive element. The resistive element is configured to maintain a resistivity that fluctuates less than one tenth of an ohm per ten degree temperature change up to 400 degrees Celsius.

A passive two-terminal circuit element may include a resistor including a carbon-metal composite resistive element. The resistive element is configured to maintain a resistivity that fluctuates less than one tenth of an ohm per ten degree temperature change up to 400 degrees Celsius.

A force sensor comprising a force sensitive resistor having a common electrode and an electrode array separated by a force sensitive resistor material. The sensor includes a preload structure, where the preload structure imparts a force on the force sensitive resistor material. The sensor may also include a signal conditioning board to read a signal from the electrode array and convert it to a digital output.

An element includes an upper electrode, a flexible intermediate layer, and a lower electrode. The upper electrode having an uneven structure. The lower electrode is closely attached to the intermediate layer. The element is configured to generate an electrical signal due to contact and separation between the upper electrode and the intermediate layer. The lower electrode is configured to take a shape fittable to the uneven structure when the upper electrode and the intermediate layer come into contact with each other.

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a variable resistance and a manufacturing method thereof, and the variable resistance is a variable resistance with continually adjustable resistance value. This variable resistance comprises: an elastic insulation envelope and conductive particles filled in the elastic insulation envelope. The manufacturing method of the variable resistance comprises: filling conductive particles into an elastic insulation envelope with an opening; and sealing the opening of the elastic insulation envelope.

A method of manufacture of a strain gage or flexible polyimide-based resistor, the method including the steps of providing a flexible polyimide substrate, joining a conductive foil to the flexible polyimide substrate, applying a layer of photoresist to the conductive foil and thereafter, patterning the conductive foil by etching using the photoresist, wherein the method is characterized in that it includes at least one of the following steps: surface conditioning of the flexible polyimide substrate using mechanical abrasion, scrubbing of the conductive foil prior to the patterning, removal of photoresist by scrubbing following the patterning, pressurized cleaning, using deionized water, following the patterning, automated algorithmic resistance calibration and shunt trimming and forming an emulsion layer of epoxy over the conductive foil following the patterning.

A method of manufacture of a strain gage or flexible polyimide-based resistor, the method including the steps of providing a flexible polyimide substrate, joining a conductive foil to the flexible polyimide substrate, applying a layer of photoresist to the conductive foil and thereafter, patterning the conductive foil by etching using the photoresist, wherein the method is characterized in that it includes at least one of the following steps: surface conditioning of the flexible polyimide substrate using mechanical abrasion, scrubbing of the conductive foil prior to the patterning, removal of photoresist by scrubbing following the patterning, pressurized cleaning, using deionized water, following the patterning, automated algorithmic resistance calibration and shunt trimming and forming an emulsion layer of epoxy over the conductive foil following the patterning.

A pressure sensitive electrically conductive composition comprises a contained quantity of magnetite particles, wherein the quantity of magnetite particles includes a distribution of particle sizes between sub-micron and tens of microns, and wherein the magnetite particles have a plurality of planar faces, adjacent planar faces connected at a vertex, the particles each having a plurality of vertices wherein the magnetite particles are irregular in shape and have a low aspect ratio.