Tactile sensing using both coarse and fine tactile sensors. A coarse tactile sensor having a first sensitive area at least partially encompasses or overlies a plurality of fine tactile sensors, each having a respective sensitive area smaller than the first sensitive area. The coarse tactile sensor(s) and fine tactile sensors may be carried on a same circuit board or separate circuit boards. Processor(s) circuits are communicatively coupled to the coarse and/or fine tactile sensors. Information indicative of at least a presence or absence of force or pressure at a given location monitored by the respective tactile sensor, and/or a measure of the force or pressure or strain is collected. Such may be mounted to a backing, and optionally covered or encased in an artificial skin. Collecting sensor readings employs both coarse and fine tactile sensors, sampling corresponding fine tactile sensors in response to detection by a coarse tactile sensor.

Tactile sensing using both coarse and fine tactile sensors. A coarse tactile sensor having a first sensitive area at least partially encompasses or overlies a plurality of fine tactile sensors, each having a respective sensitive area smaller than the first sensitive area. The coarse tactile sensor(s) and fine tactile sensors may be carried on a same circuit board or separate circuit boards. Processor(s) circuits are communicatively coupled to the coarse and/or fine tactile sensors. Information indicative of at least a presence or absence of force or pressure at a given location monitored by the respective tactile sensor, and/or a measure of the force or pressure or strain is collected. Such may be mounted to a backing, and optionally covered or encased in an artificial skin. Collecting sensor readings employs both coarse and fine tactile sensors, sampling corresponding fine tactile sensors in response to detection by a coarse tactile sensor.

A whisker sensor includes an upper circuit board, a lower circuit board, a flexible whisker, and a magnet. The magnet is fixed to the flexible whisker through a central through hole, and the location of the magnet changes with the swinging of the whisker; the upper and lower circuit boards are identical in shape and size, and are connected through an upright column. A circular hole is formed at the center of the upper circuit board, four Hall sensors are symmetrically distributed on the edge of the circular hole, and the displacement of the whisker in X and Y directions can be obtained by detecting the change in magnetic field generated by the change in location of the magnet; a contact sensor is mounted on the lower circuit board, and is connected to the whisker through a connecting piece, to detect displacement of the whisker in the Z direction.

A whisker sensor includes an upper circuit board, a lower circuit board, a flexible whisker, and a magnet. The magnet is fixed to the flexible whisker through a central through hole, and the location of the magnet changes with the swinging of the whisker; the upper and lower circuit boards are identical in shape and size, and are connected through an upright column. A circular hole is formed at the center of the upper circuit board, four Hall sensors are symmetrically distributed on the edge of the circular hole, and the displacement of the whisker in X and Y directions can be obtained by detecting the change in magnetic field generated by the change in location of the magnet; a contact sensor is mounted on the lower circuit board, and is connected to the whisker through a connecting piece, to detect displacement of the whisker in the Z direction.

A force measurement assembly is disclosed herein. The force measurement assembly includes a top component, the top component having a top surface for receiving at least one portion of the body of the subject; a single force transducer supporting the top component, the single force transducer configured to sense one or more measured quantities and output one or more signals that are representative of forces and/or moments being applied to the top surface of the top component by the subject; and a base component disposed underneath the single force transducer, the base component configured to be disposed on a support surface.

A two-dimensional force sensor for measuring a first force (F.sub.X) in a first direction (X) and a second force (Fy) in a second direction (Y) different from the first direction (X). The two-dimensional force sensor comprises a first resilient plate (H1) oriented in the second direction (Y), a first end of the first resilient plate (H1) being arranged for being coupled to a reference point; a second resilient plate (H2) oriented in the first direction (X), a first end of the second resilient plate (H2) being coupled to a second end of the first resilient plate (H1); and a measurement probe (P) being coupled to a second end of the second resilient plate (H2). Advantageously, the measurement probe (P) is mounted on an extension device (A) mounted to the second end of the second resilient plate (H2), the extension device (A) being arranged for positioning the measurement probe (P) at a position deviating from an imaginary cross-section point of the first resilient plate (H1) and the second resilient plate (H2) by no more than 20%, preferably 10%, and more preferably 5%, of a length of the extension device.

A two-dimensional force sensor for measuring a first force (F.sub.X) in a first direction (X) and a second force (Fy) in a second direction (Y) different from the first direction (X). The two-dimensional force sensor comprises a first resilient plate (H1) oriented in the second direction (Y), a first end of the first resilient plate (H1) being arranged for being coupled to a reference point; a second resilient plate (H2) oriented in the first direction (X), a first end of the second resilient plate (H2) being coupled to a second end of the first resilient plate (H1); and a measurement probe (P) being coupled to a second end of the second resilient plate (H2). Advantageously, the measurement probe (P) is mounted on an extension device (A) mounted to the second end of the second resilient plate (H2), the extension device (A) being arranged for positioning the measurement probe (P) at a position deviating from an imaginary cross-section point of the first resilient plate (H1) and the second resilient plate (H2) by no more than 20%, preferably 10%, and more preferably 5%, of a length of the extension device.

An assembly measures a bending torque on a machine element extending on an axis using the inverse magnetostrictive effect. The machine element has a cavity and at least one magnetization region, extending circumferentially around the axis. A magnetic sensor is arranged in the cavity to measure a directional component of a magnetic field which is brought about by the magnetization and by the bending torque. A second directional component of the magnetic field may be measured by the magnetic sensor or by another magnetic sensor.

An assembly measures a bending torque on a machine element extending on an axis using the inverse magnetostrictive effect. The machine element has a cavity and at least one magnetization region, extending circumferentially around the axis. A magnetic sensor is arranged in the cavity to measure a directional component of a magnetic field which is brought about by the magnetization and by the bending torque. A second directional component of the magnetic field may be measured by the magnetic sensor or by another magnetic sensor.

A force sensor includes a frame and an oscillation structure which has arms and can oscillate freely in the frame. The arms are fixed to suspension frame regions and run transverse to one another at least in sections. At least one conductor extends along at least two arms. An AC voltage can be applied to the at least one conductor to excite at least one oscillation mode of the oscillation structure with a resonant frequency using Lorentz force. The force sensor is designed such that the suspension regions are at least partially spatially displaced relative to one another when a force is applied to the frame, that the magnitude of the spatial displacement of the suspension regions depends on the magnitude of the force, and that the spatial displacement of the suspension regions causes detuning of the resonant frequency, the magnitude of which depends on the spatial displacement magnitude.