APPLICATIONS

THIS PROJECT CONCERNS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADVANCED TOUCH SENSOR FOR USE WITH TELEOPERATOR DEVICES. THE INNOVATION CONSISTS OF A COMPACT, FINGERTIP-SHAPED, OPTICAL TACTILE SENSOR WITH A SHAPE, SIZE, FORCE SENSITIVITY, AND SPATIAL RESOLUTION CORRESPONDING TO THAT OF A HUMAN FINGERTIP. WHENCOMPLEMENTED WITH A TACTILE STIMULATOR, TOGETHER THEY WOULD IMPROVE AN OPERATOR'S SENSE OF PRESENCE, THEREBY INCREASING EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY. DURING PHASE I, TWO OPTICAL TACTILE SENSORS WILL BE FABRICATED, AND ONE DELIVERED TO NASA. THE WORK WILL CONCENTRATE ON DEVELOPING COMPONENTS FOR THE SENSOR, E.G., OPTICAL-FIBER SPACERS, FIBER CABLE SHEATHING, LUBRICANTS TO REDUCE FIBER WEAR, TOUCH TRANSDUCER MEMBRANES,AND SENSOR COVERS. LATER PHASE II WORK WOULD CONCERN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPACT, HIGH-DENSITY TACTILE STIMULATOR AND AN INTERFACE UNIT TO THE OPTICAL TACTILE SENSOR, THEREBYFORMING A COMPLETE TACTILE REFLECTION SYSTEM FOR TELEOPERATORS. THE PRIMARY COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE OPTICAL TACTILE SENSOR WOULD BE FOR DEXTEROUS TELEOPERATOR CONTROL IN THE SPACE, CHEMICAL, NUCLEAR, AND ORDNANCE INDUSTRIES. ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE AREA OF ROBOT CONTROL AND PROSTHETIC DEVICES.