A multi-purpose optical microsystem for static and dynamic tactile sensing

• We propose a MEMS based optical tactile sensor.
• The paper describes the opto-mechanical modelling, FEM simulation, fabrication and characterization of the tactile sensor.
• The proposed sensor can measure the local force distribution, relative hardness and local discontinuities in the softness of soft objects, under static and dynamic loading conditions.
• The sensor is magnetic resonance compatible, electrically passive, and compatible with the minimally invasive surgical tasks.

The demand for miniaturized tactile sensing devices have greatly increased ever since the introduction of minimally invasive surgical (MIS) procedures. In this work, a tactile sensor is presented that provides essential artificial fingertip perception during such procedures. The proposed sensor can measure tactile information under various static/dynamic loading conditions by precisely measuring the quantity and position of a concentrated force, the local variation in force distribution, relative hardness and local discontinuities in the hardness of soft objects. The sensor, which is fabricated using fiber-optics and microsystems technology, can be used for most MIS tasks since it meets the necessary requirements of being electrically passive and magnetic resonance compatible.