A piezoelectric sensor includes an elastic body having a first surface, a regulatory section which is disposed at a position where the regulatory section faces the first surface of the elastic body, and which is configured to limit a deformation of the elastic body, and a first piezoelectric element which is partially fixed to the regulatory section, and which deforms in accordance with the deformation of the elastic body, wherein the first piezoelectric element outputs a voltage signal which increases and decreases from a reference voltage in accordance with a direction of the deformation.

A piezoelectric sensor includes an elastic body, a piezoelectric element which is disposed at a position where the piezoelectric element has contact with the elastic body, and which is configured to output a voltage signal when deforming in accordance with a deformation of the elastic body, and a detector configured to detect the voltage signal output from the piezoelectric element, wherein the detector detects kinetic frictional force generated between the object and the elastic body based on a variation in the voltage signal due to the relative movement of the object to the elastic body.

Emergency stop pressure sensors 17 are installed on both side surfaces of a movable link 11 of a robot arm 14 of an assembly robot. When a worker S unintentionally walks in a swing range Ra of the robot arm 14 and contacts the emergency stop pressure sensor 17, a detection signal is transmitted to a control unit 19, and the control unit 19 shuts power transmission to a driving source swinging the robot arm. The emergency stop pressure sensor 17 has a first electrode and a second electrode constituting a pair of electrodes and an intermediate layer formed of rubber or a rubber composition, which is disposed between the pair of electrodes, the intermediate layer generating power upon deformation caused by contact with a contacted body (the worker). A side of the intermediate layer in a laminate direction undergoes surface modification treatment and/or inactivation treatment. With this treatment, the one side and the other side of the intermediate layer have different degrees of deformation to the same deformation adding force.

The present disclosure provides an object recognition apparatus, which includes: an actuator unit configured to contact an object and generate vibrations and transmit them through objects based on the inherent characteristic of the object; and a sensor unit connected to the actuator unit to receive the vibration and generate a voltage signal.

A tactile sensing system of a robot may include: a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed at an object, and including a transmission (TX) piezoelectric element and a reception (RX) piezoelectric element; and at least one processor configured to: control the TX piezoelectric element to generate an acoustic wave having a chirp spread spectrum (CSS) at every preset time interval, along a surface of the object; receive, via the RX piezoelectric element, an acoustic wave signal corresponding to the generated acoustic wave; select frequency bands from a plurality of frequency bands of the acoustic wave signal; and estimate a location of a touch input on the surface of the object by inputting the acoustic wave signal of the selected frequency bands into a neural network configured to provide a touch prediction score for each of a plurality of predetermined locations on the surface of the object.

An ultrasound time-of-flight (TOF) sensor module includes an ultrasonic transducer device, a cover layer, an elastic member, and a signal processor electronically coupled to the ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic transducer device includes at least one ultrasonic transducer, which is configured as an ultrasonic transmitter and/or an ultrasonic receiver. The elastic member is interposed between the ultrasonic transducer device and the cover layer. The elastic member undergoes reversible compression in response to an external object impacting and/or contacting the cover layer. An ultrasound propagation distance between the ultrasonic transducer and the cover layer varies in accordance with the compression. The ultrasonic transmitter(s) transmit ultrasound signals. The cover layer reflects a fraction f of the ultrasound signals incident thereon. The signal processor obtains TOF data which indicate time differences between times of transmission of transmitted ultrasound signals by the ultrasonic transmitter(s) and times of receipt of reflected ultrasound signals by the ultrasonic receiver(s). The time differences vary in accordance with the ultrasound propagation distance.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems to analyze wearable technology. A robot with snake assembly works in conjunction with a server in order to simulate the locomotive actions of appendages and to concomitantly determine the response of wearable technology devices, which are attached to the snake robot assembly, to the simulated locomotive actions.

An automated device, in particular a robot, comprises: a movable structure; actuator means, for causing displacements of the movable structure; a control system, which includes a control unit and is able to control the actuator means; and a sensorized covering, which covers at least part of the movable structure and integrates sensor means that include at least one of contact sensor means and proximity sensor means.

The sensorized covering comprises a plurality of covering modules, each having a respective load-bearing structure of a predefined shape associated to which is at least one layer of elastically yielding material. The plurality of covering modules comprises one or more sensorized covering modules, which include respective sensor means. The load-bearing structure of at least some of the covering modules has electrical connector means associated thereto, for enabling separable electrical connection of at least two different covering modules that are adjacent to one another.

A sensorized covering, prearranged for covering at least part of a movable structure of an automated device. The sensorized covering is useful for sensing an actual impact or anticipating an imminent impact to the automated device. The sensorized covering includes one or more covering modules wherein each covering module may include contact sensors and/or proximity sensors, a loading bearing structure and/or controls. The individual sensorized modules may be independently connected or controlled, or connected together and collectively controlled. Examples of the automated device my include a movable robots or an automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus and method of performing a robot calibration process within a substrate processing system. In one embodiment, a calibration device is used to calibrate a robot having an end effector. The calibration device includes a body, a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The calibration device further includes a sensor disposed on the second side of the body. In some embodiments, the sensor covers the entire second side of the body. In this configuration, because the sensor covers the entire second side of the body of the calibration device, the calibration device can be utilized to sense the contact between the sensor and various differently configured chamber components found in different types of processing chambers or stations disposed within a processing system during a calibration process performed in each of the different processing chambers or stations.