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BR-102024017867-A2 - Flexible sensorimotor device based on an ionic solution.

BR102024017867A2BR 102024017867 A2BR102024017867 A2BR 102024017867A2BR-102024017867-A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible sensorimotor device based on an ionic solution that aims to simultaneously sense and act through variations in external and internal pressures exerted on it by means of variations in the internal resistance of an electrolyte based on an ionic solution. The claimed device also aims to act on the environment through the expansion of the diaphragm, which exerts a determined force; and to monitor the actuation pressure exerted simultaneously during actuation on the environment, through variations in the internal resistance of an electrolyte based on an ionic solution. The principle of functionality of the invention contemplates an integrated solution of sensing and mechanical actuation in the same device. Thus, any application that requires simultaneous sensing and actuation can benefit from the present invention.

Inventors

  • SENDER ROCHA DOS SANTOS
  • ERIC ROHMER

Assignees

  • UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE CAMPINAS

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20240830

Claims (15)

  1. 1. Flexible sensorimotor device based on ionic solution, characterized in that it comprises: - an air tube (1); - a device body (2); - metal electrodes (9), one being a positive metal electrode (3) and the other a negative metal electrode (4); wherein the metal electrodes (9) are immersed in an ionic solution (7) and connected to an external source of electrical voltage; - a diaphragm (5); - a device cover (6); - a male needle connector (11); - an interface (10) connecting the air tube (1) to the device body; and - an insulated metal cable (8).
  2. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the diaphragm (5) has a thickness of 2 mm.
  3. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device cover (6) has a thickness of 2 mm.
  4. 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ionic solution (7) is composed of Aloe Vera, glycerin and salt in defined concentrations of 40% glycerin, 54.64% Aloe Vera and 5.46% household salt.
  5. 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the male needle connector (11) is 2.54 mm long.
  6. 6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the body of the device (2) and the cover of the device (6) are made of silicone rubber material in a defined ratio of 1:1.
  7. 7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the body of the device (2) holds the metal electrodes (9), the air tube (1) and contains the ionic solution (7).
  8. 8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the body of the device (2) is sealed by the cover (6) containing the diaphragm (5).
  9. 9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal electrodes (9) are further fixed at their two ends to the walls of the device.
  10. 10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the metallic male needle connector (11) is inserted into the elastomer and fixes the metallic electrodes (9) to the body of the device (2).
  11. 11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the air tube (1) is positioned in the same direction as the metal electrodes (9) of the device.
  12. 12. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the metal electrodes (9) varies from 3 mm to 12 mm.
  13. 13. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that an interface (10) is added internally communicating the interior of the device with the air tube (1).
  14. 14. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device further comprises an elastomer material that deforms the body (2) in response to internal and external pressure and an ionic sensor gel.
  15. 15. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an optimum operating point between 30-40 grams of ionic solution (7).

Description

Field of invention [01] The present invention relates to a flexible sensorimotor device based on an ionic solution that aims to sense and act simultaneously by means of variations in external and internal pressures exerted on it by means of varying the internal resistance of an electrolyte based on an ionic solution. [02] The application area of the present invention falls within the fields of robotics (non-rigid body robotics), assistive wearables, rehabilitation medicine, and industry, but is not limited to these. More specifically, the present invention relates to a control system that uses real-time feedback from environmental perception to guide the actions of a flexible robotic device; to serve as an adaptive interface that can assist people with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities; to assist in the sensorimotor recovery of patients with motor or sensory impairments, using pressure detection and adjustments to the device's morphology to facilitate the recovery of motor and sensory range; to industrial systems, such as automatic valves; and to the detection of human stress, such as driver fatigue in vehicles, by monitoring variations in the pressure exerted on the steering wheel to promote vehicle safety. Fundamentals of the invention: [03] In recent years, robotics applications have investigated new flexible materials for integration into robotic systems, bringing flexibility and better results compared to traditional rigid-body robots. In this way, flexible robots claim an architecture of actuators, sensors, and computational demands with their flexible bodies, obtaining fast responses, adapting to the environment, and undergoing high deformations in interaction (Nakajima, K.; Hauser, H.; Li, T.; Pfeifer, R. Exploiting the Dynamics of Soft Materials for Machine Learning; Kim, S.; Laschi, C.; Trimmer, B. Soft robotics: A bioinspired evolution in robotics; Laschi, C.; Cianchetti, M. Soft robotics: New perspectives for robot bodyware and control). [04] Sensorimotor coordination is one of the main design principles acquired by flexible robots through the ability of mutual coupling of detection and action, allowing mechanical systems to receive rapid mechanical feedback from the task environment, triggering internal physical stimulation of the sensory system, and in combination with external physical stimulation of sensory receptors, can provide sensory feedback to the controller in a more precise and rapid way (Pfeifer, R.; Lungarella, M.; Lida, F. Self-Organization, Embodiment, and Biologically Inspired Robotics; Wolpert, D.M.; Diedrichsen, J.; Flanagan, R. Principles of sensorimotor learning; Hauser, H.; Füchslin, R.M.; Pfeifer, R. (Eds.) Morphological Computation: The Body as a Computational Resource). [05] Force Sensing Resistors (FSRs) are devices that allow the measurement of static and/or dynamic forces applied to a surface where they are placed, through variations in their electrical resistance (Flórez, J.A.; Velásquez, A.E.F. Calibration of force sensing resistors (fsr) for static and dynamic applications). Several types of flexible (soft) sensors have been developed for robotic applications based on the FSR principle, such as EGaIn (Muth, J.; Vogt, D.; Truby, R.; Mengüç, Y.; Kolesky, D.; Wood, R.; Lewis, J. Embedded 3D Printing of Strain Sensors within Highly Stretchable Elastomers) and ConTact Sensor (Preechayasomboon, P.; Richburg, C.; Rombokas, E.E.F. Multi-modal sensing and actuation in biomechanical hydraulic and pneumatic systems). FSR sensors are well-suited to the sensorimotor element for flexible robots because their body can exhibit good deformability performance, meaning they actively interact with the environment and passively detect external stimuli. [06] To achieve a smooth sensorimotor system with expansion and compression characteristics, soft ionic sensors have been developed (Russo, S.; Ranzani, T.; Liu, H.; Nefti-Meziani, S.; Althoefer, K.; Menciassi, A. Soft and Stretchable Sensor Using Biocompatible Electrodes and Liquid for Medical Applications; Cheung, Y.N.; Zhu, Y.; Cheng, C.H.; Chao, C.; Leung, W.W.-F. A Novel Fluidic Strain Sensor for Large Strain Measurement; Almassri, A.M.; Hasan, W.Z.; Ahmad, S.A.; Ishak, A.J.; Ghazali, A.M.; Talib, D.N.; Wada, C. Pressure sensor: State of the art, design, and application for robotic hand). Recent research has shown that ionic resistance results in easy fabrication and good performance. [07] The ionic solution used in the sensorimotor system is composed of the following elements: Aloe Vera, glycerol, and salt. The elements present in the solution allow the solution to perform quickly as an ionic conductor. As shown in Hamman (Hamman, J.H. Composition and applications of Aloe Vera leaf gel), there are many chemical constituents in Aloe Vera, including inorganic compounds such as calcium, chlorine, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and zinc. Furthermore, as shown in Volkov et al. (Vo