Proximity Skin Sensor Using Time-of-Flight Sensor for Human Collaborative Robot

Human cooperative robots (HCRs) that work in the same spaces as humans have attracted a significant amount of research attention. For safety, it is important to equip such robots with proximity sensors. This paper aims to propose a proximity skin sensor for collaborative robots using time-of-flight (ToF) sensors that are able to detect the distance between the sensors and the objects. These proximity skin sensors can detect object's position and its approximate shape before contact. The prototype sensors are attached to the surface of the robot and can detect an object at a given proximity range. Therefore, this proximity skin sensor can ensure safety and workability of a robot by preventing unnecessary contact between the robot and the objects, including humans. Therefore, the sensor may be applicable to tactile sensors for HCRs.