A Miniature High-Resolution Tension Sensor Based on a Photo-Reflector for Robotic Hands and Grippers
Hyun-Bin Kim, and Kyung-Soo Kim

TL;DR
This paper introduces a compact, high-resolution tension sensor based on a photo-reflector, suitable for robotic hands, offering improved sensitivity, resolution, and ease of integration over previous designs.
Contribution
A novel miniature tension sensor utilizing a photo-reflector with enhanced resolution, mechanical durability, and simplified assembly for robotic applications.
Findings
Achieves 9.9 mN resolution, over 14-bit accuracy.
Demonstrates force measurement RMSE of 0.455 N.
Enables precise force control with RMSE as low as 0.073 N.
Abstract
This paper presents a miniature tension sensor using a photo-reflector, designed for compact tendon-driven grippers and robotic hands. The proposed sensor has a small form factor of 13~mm x 7~mm x 6.5~mm and is capable of measuring tensile forces up to 200~N. A symmetric elastomer structure incorporating fillets and flexure hinges is designed based on Timoshenko beam theory and verified via FEM analysis, enabling improved sensitivity and mechanical durability while minimizing torsional deformation. The sensor utilizes a compact photo-reflector (VCNT2020) to measure displacement in the near-field region, eliminating the need for light-absorbing materials or geometric modifications required in photo-interrupter-based designs. A 16-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and CAN-FD (Flexible Data-rate) communication enable efficient signal acquisition with up to 5~kHz sampling rate.…
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