MEMS with five senses for IRT

Abstract

IRT is a new technological domain created by the integration of Information Technology (IT), which encompasses high-speed computing and network and software technologies, and Robot Technology (RT), whose forms and movements function in the physical world. IT, formed from technologies of the cyber-world, has the power to process information in the real world through communication and computer technologies. It promises to have even more advanced capabilities in the future. RT, formed from the technologies of the physical world, has advanced greatly in reliability and real-world functionality. By integration IT and RT, IRT innovations promise to give birth to industries that support life and society, and to bring about social transformation. One of the killer applications of IRT is a kitchen robot. The robot we have developed has tactile sensors to deal with plates and glasses on a tray and put them into a dishwasher. The tactile sensors are molded by elastic materials with tiny cantilevers in it. Not only tactile sensors but also vision/acoustic sensors are necessary for motion, safety and reliability of household robots. MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) give tiny/thin sensor arrays which cover a robot as smart skin.