Flexible, Stretchable Tactile Arrays From MEMS Barometers

Abstract — Many applications for tactile sensors require a flexible, stretchable array to allow installation on curved sur-faces or to measure forces on deformable objects. This paper presents a sensor array created with barometers and flexible printed circuit boards that delivers high sensitivity on a flexible, stretchable package using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components: MEMS barometers and commercially-compatible flexible printed circuit boards. The array is demonstrated on the surface of a jamming gripper, where it provides the ability to sense grasping events and detect object shape. I