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NONCONTACT IMAGING PROXIMITY SENSOR FOR ROBOTIC INSPECTION AND ASSEMBLY

Award Information

Agency:
National Science Foundation 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
7637 		Program Year/Program:
1987 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
7637 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Automation Research, Inc.
2917 E. Chapala Las Vegas, NV 89120
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Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 1987
Title: NONCONTACT IMAGING PROXIMITY SENSOR FOR ROBOTIC INSPECTION AND ASSEMBLY
Agency: NSF
Contract: N/A
Award Amount: $40,000.00
 

Abstract:

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CAPACITIVE PROXIMITY SENSOR ARRAY FOR USE IN AUTOMATED ASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION OPERATIONS IS PRO- POSED. A TWO-DIMENSIONAL ARRAY OF SMALL CAPACITIVE SENSORS DETECTS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN EACH SENSOR TIP AND THE TARGET OBJECT. WHEN TOUCHING THE SURFACE OR OPERATING AT CLOSE DISTANCE, AN IMAGE OF THE SURFACE CONTOUR IS OBTAINED. THE SENSING PROCESS IS CONTROLLED BY A MICROPROCESSOR, WHICH ADDRESSES THE SENSORS IN SERIAL ORDER THROUGH A MULTIPLEXER SAMPLES THE DATA, AND LINEARIZES THEM ACCORDING TO THE CA- IBRATION CURVE. EACH SENSOR CONSISTS OF A THIN, SHORT LEAD (LINE CAPITANCE) EMBEDDED IN A HARD CERAMIC SUBSTRATE. THE SENSOR IS THERFORE RUGGED AND CAN, DUE TO ITS SMALL SIZE BE MOUNTED AT ALMOST ANY DESIRED LOCATION. WHEN COMPARED TO RESISTIVE TOUCH SENSORS, THE CAPACITIVE SEN- SING METHOD OFFERS POTENTIALLY HIGHER PACKAGE DENSITY AND IMAGE RESOLUTION; ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THE CAPABILITY TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF OBJECTS WHILE APPROACHING, BEFORE

Principal Investigator:

Georg f. mauer
7027393830

Business Contact:

Small Business Information at Submission:

Automation Research, Inc.
2917 E. Chapala Las Vegas, NV 89120

EIN/Tax ID:
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees: N/A
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No