Development of a Capacitance-Based Sensor for Flexible Rolling Contact Joint Systems
Hao Liu, Jia Yu, Ting Wang, Hongqiang Wang
Abstract
This paper presents a rolling-contact joint embedded with a capacitive angle sensing method fabricated using a flexible printed circuit board process. By leveraging the inherent mechanical constraints of the joint's crossed-band structure, enabling high-precision angular measurement without requiring additional rigid supports. The method is applicable to both rigid and soft joint configurations, offering a compact, lightweight, and compliant sensing solution with an extended measurement range compared to conventional flexible sensors. A 2-DOF cable-driven joint with decoupled motion was realized through optimized cable routing, and a 3-DOF robotic arm integrating the proposed sensor achieved real-time position control. The sensing approach was further validated in inflatable soft joints, demonstrating adaptability across diverse robotic platforms.
BibTeX
@inproceedings{ral2026_developmentofaca,
title = {Development of a Capacitance-Based Sensor for Flexible Rolling Contact Joint Systems},
author = {Hao Liu and Jia Yu and Ting Wang and Hongqiang Wang},
booktitle = {RA-L 2026},
year = {2026}
}