Robust and Inexpensive 6-Axis Force-Torque Sensors using MEMS Barometers

Current commercial force-torque sensors are sensitive and accurate, but are also typically expensive and fragile. These features limit their use in cost-sensitive applications and unstructured environments such as people’s homes. This paper presents a new design for an inexpensive and robust force-torque sensor that uses MEMS barometer transducers. The new design results in a six-axis force-torque sensor with an R greater than 0.90 for Fx and Fy and an R greater than 0.98 for Fz , Mx, My , and Mz during compound loading. Furthermore, this sensor can be assembled in two days with off-the-shelf components for less than twenty dollars.