Smart sensing for space processing and automation

Smart sensing capabilities that resolve the components of force into multiple degrees of freedom can significantly enhance intelligent grasping and manipulation for space‐based and ground‐based laboratory automation and robotic end‐effectors. A single sensor can resolve forces into normal and shear components such that grip force, mass, acceleration, object contact, center of gravity, and object movement in the end‐effector can be detected. The Smart Vector Sensors have the ability to detect light contact as well as normal and shear forces with high frequency response. These sensors enable more intelligent feedback for automation systems making possible new and more versatile robotics applications that now are constrained by limitations in sensing, reacting to, and controlling an end‐effector’s interface with its environment. The sensor can be configured into various shapes to conform to the tips and surfaces of specific laboratory supplies, containers, control knobs, tools, and can be designed for a wide...