Robust, low-cost, and stretchable matrix tactile sensor array with anti-ghosting capabilities

As the population ages, the demand for home and care robots is growing. For safe interaction with humans, tactile information is indispensable. Flexible tactile sensor arrays enable robots to interact with their environment via touch and reduce the risk of injuries during human-robot interactions. Many tactile sensor arrays for robotic applications have been presented so far. However, most of these are complex in design, require complicated processes and expensive materials for manufacturing, and place high demands for circuit devices. In this paper, we present the design of a fully soft, flexible, and stretchable tactile sensor array that can be produced using low-cost materials and widely available manufacturing machines. It has low requirements for circuitry and is free of ghost signals. Due to its mechanical compliance, the sensor is stretchable, allowing it to conform to irregular surfaces and be customized in shape, spatial resolution, and detection thresholds. The sensor's measurement and communication modules consist of two stacked PCBs, each measuring only 35 x 25 mm². The communication modules can be replaced as needed, with options including USB or a 24V 4-PIN connector. Thus, this sensor has great potential for commercial applications. We discuss the fundamental functionality of the sensor, the production technology used, and present an experimental study on its performance in various applications.