Sistema tátil flexível com sensores óticos multiplexados baseados em macrocurvatura

Abstract

In this work, fabrication and testing of a tactile sensing array consisting of 4 macrobend optical fiber sensors, multiplexed and encapsulated in silicone are presented. The array transmission spectra in the visible spectral range carries information used for the sensing system interrogation. Intensity at different wavelengths of the transmission spectrum is affected by external perturbations caused by loads applied on the array surface, allowing tactile sensing. The coupled response of the 4 sensors allowed the identification of the magnitude and position of loads applied simultaneously in up to 5 previously established sensing regions. Linear regressions were used in the analysis of the transmission spectra obtained when the array was submitted to loads from 0.0 kg to 2.0 kg. Tactile sensing with fewer sensors than the number of sensing regions has been achieved. The system was able to recognize the magnitude and location of loads with an error of 0.208 kg using Ridge regression. This error represents 10.40 % of the highest applied load per region and 3.47 % of the highest total load applied on the sensing array.