Slip sensors for a prosthetic hand

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Description/Abstract

The inclusion of a slip sensor in a prosthetic hand is thought to be advantageous in controlling both hands with multiple movements and conventional hands with a single movement. A slip sensor would be used as part of a control system to automatically adjust the force applied to an object if it begins to slip from the hand. This would remove the need for the user to visually assess the object they are grasping, as well as reduce the need to apply large forces to the object. Piezoelectric sensors produce a charge when mechanically deformed, through the action of an applied force. This charge decays with time dependant upon the connected electronics. Piezoelectric sensors are therefore considered an ideal candidate for detecting the vibrations (change in surface forces) associated with object slip from a prosthetic hand.