Currently, robots are widely used in various industries. Robots can be produced, but sensors have played a significant role. Do you know the common types of robot sensors? In the field of industrial automation, machines require sensors to provide the necessary information to properly perform related operations.
The commonly used sensors for robots can be divided into internal sensors and external sensors according to the different detection objects.
Internal sensors are mainly used to detect the state of the robot itself (such as the angle between the arms), mostly sensors that detect position and angle.
External sensors are mainly used to detect the environment of the robot (such as what object it is, how far away it is from the object, etc.) and conditions (such as whether the object it grabs slips). Specifically, there are object recognition sensors, object flaw detection sensors, proximity sensors, distance sensors, force sensors, and auditory sensors.
1. Two-dimensional visual sensor
The two-dimensional visual sensor is mainly a camera that can perform functions such as object motion detection and positioning. The two-dimensional visual sensor has been around for a long time, and many intelligent cameras can coordinate the action path of industrial robots and adjust their behavior based on the received information.
2. Three-dimensional visual sensor
Recently, three-dimensional vision sensors have gradually emerged, and three-dimensional vision systems must have two cameras shooting at different angles, so that three-dimensional models of objects can be detected and recognized. Compared to two-dimensional vision systems, three-dimensional sensors can display things more intuitively.
3. Force torque sensor
The force torque sensor is a sensor that allows the robot to know the force. It can monitor the force on the robot's arm and provide guidance for the robot's subsequent behavior based on data analysis.
4. Collision detection sensor
The biggest requirement for industrial robots, especially collaborative robots, is safety. To create a safe working environment, it is necessary for robots to recognize what is unsafe. The use of a collision sensor allows the robot to understand what it has encountered and send a signal to pause or stop the robot's movement.
5. Safety sensor
Unlike the collision detection sensors above, using safety sensors allows industrial robots to sense objects around them, and the presence of safety sensors prevents robots from colliding with other objects.
6. Electromagnetic sensor
Modern magnetic rotation sensors mainly include four phase sensors and single phase sensors. During operation, the four phase differential rotation sensor uses a pair of detection units to achieve differential detection, and the other pair to achieve reverse differential detection. In this way, the detection capability of a four phase sensor is four times that of a single component. The two element single-phase rotation sensor also has its own advantages, that is, it is compact and reliable, and has a large output signal, can detect low speed motion, strong resistance to environmental impact and noise, and low cost. Therefore, single-phase sensors will also have a good market.
7. Optical fiber sensor
Optical fiber sensor is a new technology emerging in recent years, which can be used to measure a variety of physical quantities, such as sound field, electric field, pressure, temperature, angular velocity, acceleration, etc. It can also complete measurement tasks that are difficult to complete with existing measurement technologies. In narrow spaces, in environments with strong electromagnetic interference and high voltage, fiber optic sensors have shown unique capabilities. Currently, there are more than 70 types of optical fiber sensors, which are generally divided into optical fiber self sensors and sensors using optical fiber.
8. Bionic sensor
Biomimetic sensor is a new type of sensor using new detection principles. It uses immobilized cells, enzymes, or other biologically active substances to cooperate with transducers to form a sensor. This sensor is a new type of information technology developed in recent years due to the mutual penetration of biomedicine, electronics, and engineering. This sensor is characterized by high performance and long service life. Among biomimetic sensors, the most commonly used sensor is a biological simulation sensor.
9. Infrared sensor
The core of infrared systems is infrared detectors, which can be divided into two categories according to the different detection mechanisms: thermal detectors and photon detectors. The thermal detector utilizes the radiation heat effect to cause the temperature of the detector element to rise after receiving radiation energy, thereby changing the temperature dependent performance of the detector. Radiation can be detected by detecting a change in one of these properties. In most cases, radiation is detected through thermoelectric changes. When a component receives radiation and causes a physical change in non electrical quantity, the corresponding electrical quantity change can be measured through appropriate transformation.
10. Pressure sensor
Piezoelectric sensors are mainly used in the measurement of acceleration, pressure, and force. Piezoelectric acceleration sensor is a commonly used accelerometer. It has excellent characteristics such as simple structure, small size, light weight, and long service life. Piezoelectric acceleration sensors have been widely used in vibration and impact measurements of aircraft, automobiles, ships, bridges, and buildings. Especially, the shape of piezoelectric sensors has a special position in the field of aviation and aerospace.