A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during Locomotion
Recent achievements in the field of computer vision, reinforcement learning, and locomotion control have largely extended legged robots’ maneuverability in complex natural environments. However, little research focuses on sensing and analyzing the physical properties of the ground, which is crucial...
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/16/5359 |
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| author | Yingtian Xu Ziya Wang Wanjun Hao Wenyu Zhao Waner Lin Bingchen Jin Ning Ding |
| author_facet | Yingtian Xu Ziya Wang Wanjun Hao Wenyu Zhao Waner Lin Bingchen Jin Ning Ding |
| author_sort | Yingtian Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent achievements in the field of computer vision, reinforcement learning, and locomotion control have largely extended legged robots’ maneuverability in complex natural environments. However, little research focuses on sensing and analyzing the physical properties of the ground, which is crucial to robots’ locomotion during their interaction with highly irregular profiles, deformable terrains, and slippery surfaces. A biomimetic, flexible, multimodal sole sensor (FMSS) designed for legged robots to identify the ontological status and ground information, such as reaction force mapping, contact situation, terrain, and texture information, to achieve agile maneuvers was innovatively presented in this paper. The FMSS is flexible and large-loaded (20 Pa–800 kPa), designed by integrating a triboelectric sensing coat, embedded piezoelectric sensor, and piezoresistive sensor array. To evaluate the effectiveness and adaptability in different environments, the multimodal sensor was mounted on one of the quadruped robot’s feet and one of the human feet then traversed through different environments in real-world tests. The experiment’s results demonstrated that the FMSS could recognize terrain, texture, hardness, and contact conditions during locomotion effectively and retrain its sensitivity (0.66 kPa<sup>−1</sup>), robustness, and compliance. The presented work indicates the FMSS’s potential to extend the feasibility and dexterity of tactile perception for state estimation and complex scenario detection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:24:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0d7459d474f24323816fe1fe47b901c5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:24:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-0d7459d474f24323816fe1fe47b901c52023-11-22T09:38:24ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-08-012116535910.3390/s21165359A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during LocomotionYingtian Xu0Ziya Wang1Wanjun Hao2Wenyu Zhao3Waner Lin4Bingchen Jin5Ning Ding6Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS), Shenzhen 518129, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS), Shenzhen 518129, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS), Shenzhen 518129, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS), Shenzhen 518129, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS), Shenzhen 518129, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS), Shenzhen 518129, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS), Shenzhen 518129, ChinaRecent achievements in the field of computer vision, reinforcement learning, and locomotion control have largely extended legged robots’ maneuverability in complex natural environments. However, little research focuses on sensing and analyzing the physical properties of the ground, which is crucial to robots’ locomotion during their interaction with highly irregular profiles, deformable terrains, and slippery surfaces. A biomimetic, flexible, multimodal sole sensor (FMSS) designed for legged robots to identify the ontological status and ground information, such as reaction force mapping, contact situation, terrain, and texture information, to achieve agile maneuvers was innovatively presented in this paper. The FMSS is flexible and large-loaded (20 Pa–800 kPa), designed by integrating a triboelectric sensing coat, embedded piezoelectric sensor, and piezoresistive sensor array. To evaluate the effectiveness and adaptability in different environments, the multimodal sensor was mounted on one of the quadruped robot’s feet and one of the human feet then traversed through different environments in real-world tests. The experiment’s results demonstrated that the FMSS could recognize terrain, texture, hardness, and contact conditions during locomotion effectively and retrain its sensitivity (0.66 kPa<sup>−1</sup>), robustness, and compliance. The presented work indicates the FMSS’s potential to extend the feasibility and dexterity of tactile perception for state estimation and complex scenario detection.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/16/5359flexible sensormultimodal haptic perceptionlegged robot |
| spellingShingle | Yingtian Xu Ziya Wang Wanjun Hao Wenyu Zhao Waner Lin Bingchen Jin Ning Ding A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during Locomotion Sensors flexible sensor multimodal haptic perception legged robot |
| title | A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during Locomotion |
| title_full | A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during Locomotion |
| title_fullStr | A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during Locomotion |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during Locomotion |
| title_short | A Flexible Multimodal Sole Sensor for Legged Robot Sensing Complex Ground Information during Locomotion |
| title_sort | flexible multimodal sole sensor for legged robot sensing complex ground information during locomotion |
| topic | flexible sensor multimodal haptic perception legged robot |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/16/5359 |
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