Design of a Testbed for Haptic Sensor Calibration and Characterization

Abstract

We present the design, fabrication, and application of a 6-axis test bed for the characterization and calibration of haptic force sensors. This test bed can apply and measure contact forces up to 10N anywhere within a 60x60x60mm volume, at angles up to ±10 degrees from the normal. A procedure for haptic sensor calibration and characterization was developed for this test bed. A visuotactile sensor designed by the Toyota Research Institute was used to demonstrate the application of the test bed, resulting in calibration curves for force measurements in all axes as well as the location of force in x and y. The test procedures also showed the presence of hysteresis in the haptic sensor’s normal force measurement, and a lack of hysteresis in the sensor’s shear force measurement.