Thick filmed piezoelectric slip sensors for a prosthetic hand

Abstract

This thesis details an investigation into using thick-film piezoelectric sensors to detect slip for a hand prosthesis application.  The investigation focuses on the slip characteristics produced from the sensor, the effects of device fabrication and parameters on d₃₃ sensitivity and the enhancement of piezoelectric thick-film devices.

Prototype fingertips incorporating a thick-film piezoelectric slip sensor were tested on purpose built slip test apparatus for their viability to be used as slip sensors.  The results demonstrated that the devices can be used to detect slip and they can do this even with a cosmesis material placed between the sensor and the object surface.  The stoichiometry and d₃₃ sensitivity of thick film devices were investigated, where the films suggested that there was no change in stoichiometry during firing and the d₃₃ sensitivity of all devices remained unchanged.  A binderless paste was investigated to fabricate piezoelectric thick film devices at peak processing temperatures of 150°C, 720°C, 850°C and 950°C and showed an increase in d₃₃ sensitivity of 28% over glassy thick-film devices processed at the same peak temperature of 950, (168pC/N compared to 131pC/N) and 33% over polymer based thick-films processed at a peak temperature of 150°C (20pC/N compared to 15pC/N).

Finally, future work is suggested for further characterisation of piezoelectric thick-film slip sensors and the enhancement of other piezoelectric thick-film devices.

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