Tactile sensor comprising nanowires and method for making the same
First Claim
1. A tactile sensor device for detecting the position and movement activity of an object, the sensor device comprising:
- a circuit substrate having a surface;
at least a first and a second contact pad disposed on the surface;
at least one nanowire attached to the first contact pad to define a first set of nanowires and at least one nanowire attached to the second contact pad to define a second set of nanowires;
wherein when the object contacts the first set of nanowires, the object causes the first set of nanowires to bend and make contact along a portion of the length thereof with the second set of nanowires, whereby the position and movement activity of the object can be sensed by electrically interrogating at least one of the first and second contact pads to determine whether the first and second sets of nanowires have made a connection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tactile sensor device is disclosed that can be used for high resolution tactile sensing. The sensor may be used as a tactile shear sensor. It comprises a circuit substrate; an array of contact pads on the circuit substrate, and a set of nanowires attached to each of the contact pads. The contact pads may be isolated or formed from a matrix of interconnecting strips of material. Each set of nanowires comprises at least one and preferably a plurality of nanowires that are desirably vertically aligned and equal in length. When an object contacts at least one of the plurality of sets of nanowires, it causes at least one set of nanowires to bend and make contact along a portion of the length thereof with at least another set of nanowires. The position and movement activity of the object can be sensed by electrically interrogating pairs of contact pads to determine whether a connection has been made between them.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A tactile sensor device for detecting the position and movement activity of an object, the sensor device comprising:
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a circuit substrate having a surface;
at least a first and a second contact pad disposed on the surface;
at least one nanowire attached to the first contact pad to define a first set of nanowires and at least one nanowire attached to the second contact pad to define a second set of nanowires;
wherein when the object contacts the first set of nanowires, the object causes the first set of nanowires to bend and make contact along a portion of the length thereof with the second set of nanowires, whereby the position and movement activity of the object can be sensed by electrically interrogating at least one of the first and second contact pads to determine whether the first and second sets of nanowires have made a connection.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A tactile sensor device for detecting the position and movement activity of an object, the sensor device comprising:
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a circuit substrate having a surface;
an array of contact pads on the surface of the circuit substrate, wherein each one of the contact pads defining the array is in the absence of a tactile activation, electrically isolated from each of the other contact pads defining the array;
a set of nanowires attached to each said one of the contact pads, each set of nanowires comprising a plurality of substantially-vertically aligned and substantially equi-length nanowires;
wherein when the object contacts at least one set of nanowires, the object causes said at least one set of nanowires to bend and make contact along a portion of the length thereof with at least another set, whereby the position and movement activity of the object can be sensed by electrically interrogating at least one of the contact pads to determine whether a connection has been made between sets of nanowires. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A tactile shear sensor device for detecting the position and movement activity of an object, the sensor device comprising:
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a circuit substrate having a surface;
an array of contact pads on the surface of the circuit substrate, wherein each one of the contact pads defining the array, is in the absence of a tactile activation, electrically isolated from each of the other contact pads, and each said one of the contact pads is configured to be coupled to a mechanism for electrically interrogating said contact pads;
a set of nanowires attached to each said one of the isolated contact pads, each set of nanowires comprising a plurality of nanowires, in which the length of each one of the plurality of nanowires deviates from the average length of every one of the plurality of nanowires by less than twenty percent and the vertical alignment of the plurality of nanowires deviates from complete vertical alignment of 90 degrees relative to the circuit substrate by less than twenty-five degrees;
a metallic coating disposed on the outer surface of the plurality of nanowires;
a plurality of stress-limiting spacers disposed on the surface of the circuit substrate for preventing damage to the sets of nanowires;
wherein when the object contacts at least one set of nanowires, the object causes said at least one set of nanowires to bend and make contact along a portion of the length thereof with at least another set, whereby the position and movement activity of the object can be sensed by electrically interrogating at least two of the contact pads to determine whether an electrical connection has been made between them.
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Specification