Capacitive Tactile Sensing

Capacitance The basic electrical property of capacitance a measure of an objects ability to store electrical charge has been demonstrated in countless physics classes with the classic example of two electrodes with area A separated by an air gap d as shown. If the air gap decreases, the capacitanceC goes up.

Tactile Sensors

Pressure Profile Systems uses this property to build its tactile pads and arrays by separating the electrodes
using a proprietary compressible dielectric matrix, which acts like a spring. Precision manufacturing techniques allow excellentrepeatability and sensitivity, while advanced conductive materials allow for conformable, stretchable, industrial, and other hybrid sensor designs. The simplicity of the capacitive sensordesign gives PPS a large degree of flexibility when creating custom sensor solutions.

Array Sensors To build tactile array sensors, PPS arranges the electrodes as orthogonal, overlapping strips. A distinct capacitor is formed at each point where the electrodes overlap. By selectively scanning a single row and column, the capacitance at that location, and thus the local pressure, is measured. PPSsproprietary drive and conditioning electronics can scan through an array at high speed while optimizing settings to achieve the maximum sensorresponse from each sensing element.

Sensor Technology Comparison Unlike with some other tactile sensor designs,capacitivebased sensors do not have significant internal wear and tear under load. Since the scale of the deflections is so small, there is little chance for set in the material, thus reducing the frequency with which capacitive sensors must be calibrated. The following table shows a comparison of capacitive sensors versus the two other most common approaches, resistive and piezoelectrictactile sensors.

Three Disadvantages of Capacitive Tactile Sensors

Posted by Jae Son on Fri, Mar 29, 2013 @ 05:04 PM
Capacitive tactile sensors are putting pioneering products on the map that run the gamut from enabling early detection of cancer to enhancing headset comfort. Yet despite capacitive tactile sensings contribution to the development of cutting-edge products, it islike any technologynot without its drawbacks. Below we touch upon three distinct drawbacks of capacitive sensors to provide a clearer understanding of the technology and its limitations. Capacitive Tactile Sensors Arent Scales There are long-term loading issues associated with both resistive and capacitive tactile sensors. Capacitive sensors, however, are typically engineered using a silicone elastic-type material. So, when weight is applied to the pressure sensor, the material between the two electrodes can creep. This creep, in turn, can cause sensor output to change very slightly over a period of time even though the load itself doesnt change. The fact that capacitive sensors arent really intended for weight -measurement applications is typically not a problem. But some applications do require the stability of a load cell. In those cases, PPS typically employs metal flexors to act as the compressible layer in order to improve capacitive tactile sensor stability over long-term use. Capacitive Tactile Sensors Arent the Fastest Technology Owing to their complex array construction, capacitive tactile sensors can be a bit slower to scan pressure measurement than competing technologies. Electrodes in the sensor array, after all, are arranged as orthogonal, overlapping strips. Each point of intersection in this lattice design forms a distinct capacitor, thereby enabling the measurement of capacitanceand, thus, local pressureat a single point by selectively scanning an individual row and column in the array. And while proprietary drive and conditioning electronics can scan through a tactile sensor array at a relatively high speed of 10,000 elements/second, these particular tactile pressure measurement technologies may not yield readings as quickly as other sensor types. Were talking about a delay of fractions of seconds that wouldnt have any significant impact on most applications. However, capacitive tactile sensors would not be the optimal choice for an application in which speed is a critical criterion,

such as airbag impact testing, for instance. Nor would they be suited for use in applications where artillery was impacting the sensor. PPS does offer single-element sensors that can be used for such applications, but not an array at this point. The speed of the capacitive sensor can actually be increased by adding more electronics, but cost would also increase significantly as a result. Capacitive Tactile Sensors Arent the Cheapest Option On that note, the expression you get what you pay for is particularly apt when it comes to capacitive tactile sensors. Because they are difficult to surpass in terms of accuracy and reliability, these cuttingedge tactile sensor solutions can get quite expensive, depending on the degree of customization required. While the cost of capacitive tactile sensors over the past few years has dropped dramatically, resistive sensors remain significantly cheaper and are therefore still the most commonly used tactile sensor technology on the market today. While typically not as elegant looking or as accurate, resistive tactile sensors are cheaper and easier to replace owing to their more off-the-shelf nature. Custom capacitive tactile sensors take time to develop, and, as we all know: Time is money. At PPS, for example, we enjoy solving problems for clients and pushing boundaries with capacitive sensors. But more often than not, addressing these complex needs requires custom tactile sensor solutions that are carefully engineered using extensive hand wiring and expensive flexible cable wires. On the upside, however, the price of capacitive tactile sensors can drop dramatically with larger-volume applications.

Back to Basics: Capacitive Tactile Sensing 101

Posted by Jae Son on Wed, Feb 13, 2013 @ 12:48 PM
Capacitive tactile sensing has been a driving force in the popularization of such ubiquitous touchscreenbased technologies as smartphones and tablets. But Pressure Profile Systems (PPS) is leveraging and enhancing capacitive tactile sensor technology to develop innovative, meaningful products that harness the sense of touch for medical devices, robotics, ergonomics, automotive applications, and industrial and consumer products. In order to fully explore the potential of capacitive tactile sensors, however, engineers must first understand the basics of the technology. To that end, weve put together a quick primer on tactile pressure-measurement systems to bring you up to speed. Although lumped in with the pressure and force sensor families, tactile sensing has carved out its own unique niche within these broader buckets. Tactile sensors, after all, provide an added dimension to force sensing by collecting data on both the forces and how the forces are actually distributed in a specified area. To perform these functions, tactile sensors employ either resistance- or capacitance-based technologies. Whereas resistive or piezoresistive tactile sensors measure the resistance of a conductive ink, elastomer, or foam between two points, capacitive tactile sensors exploit the electrical property of capacitance, which is the ability of a system to store an electrical charge. As you my recall from physics class, capacitance is often illustrated using the example of two parallel electrodes separated by an air gap. Upon applying a charge, capacitance of the electrodes increases as the gap decreases.

In the case of PPSs capacitive tactile sensors, however, a proprietary compressible dielectric matrix is placed in the gap between the electrodes. Enabling the creation of tactile pads and arrays, the dielectric matrix acts like a spring and compresses in response to applied pressure. As with the classic example, capacitance changes as the gap decreases; this change is processed either as a discrete element or in a matrix configuration when scanned through electronics. Tactile array sensors are engineered by taking this concept one step further. Electrodes are arranged as orthogonal, overlapping strips in a lattice pattern. Each point of intersection in this lattice design forms a distinct capacitor, thereby enabling the measurement of capacitance and, thus, local pressureat a single point by selectively scanning an individual row and column in the array. The resulting capacitive tactile sensing technology boasts design flexibility, sensitivity, and stability among its advantages over competing technologies. It also can feature a very thin profile of 0.3 mm or 3 mm for stretchable sensors, despite the addition of the material between electrodes. But the properties and features of a capacitive tactile sensor design are ultimately determined by material selection. Advanced conductive materials lend conformability and stretchability to the sensor design; however, material selection is based on the needs of a particular application.