Conductive Elastomers as Sensor for Industrial Parts Handling Equipment

Conductive elastomers are flexible materials whose electrical conductivity varies as a function of the pressure on the material. A sensor has been developed which uses this material to provide a sense of "touch" for computer controlled parts handling equipment. The material has been studied and its dynamic response characterized. Fatigue is identified as a significant obstacle to potential industrial use. The computer interface hardware is described and software which allows the computer to identify types of surfaces is discussed.