SLAVE FLEXIBLE MICRO-FINGER INTEGRATED WITH SENSOR FOR MASTER-SLAVE SENSE PRESENTATION SYSTEM

In this study, we investigated a flexible micro-finger as slave machine of a master-slave sense presentation system. Information on the contact object, such as temperature, was acquired using a sensor integrated into the micro-finger. A pneumatic micro-actuator was used as artificial muscle to drive the micro-finger. The human interface of the master-slave system was implemented to present information acquired by the slave micro-finger. The integration of the sensor into the flexible and deformable actuator is presented in this paper. A thermistor was embedded into the tip of the pneumatic balloon actuator. Sufficient electrical connection and endurance of the wire under large bending motion were verified. The effective contribution of the micro-finger to temperature measurement on unstable biological surface and master-slave temperature presentation system was demonstrated.