Fibre Optic Shape Sensing for Robotics

This project will focus on the development, construction and testing shape sensing instrumentation in the form of a sensing 'tape' that can be easily integrated into robotic arms and other articulated robots. The methodology used will be to employ optic fibre segment interferometry (FSI) to provide high-quality measurement of joint angle. Such a sensing approach will have a wide range of applications: In industrial robotic arms, the proposed sensor will offer higher-resolution and higher-bandwidth measurements of joint angles/robot pose offering improved performance and new techniques in robotic manufacturing. For example, higher measurement bandwidth will enable new approaches to vibration correction leading to higher quality and productivity. In automation, the sensors could be applied as a retrofittable upgrade to improve the performance of low-cost industrial arms and enable the automation of articulated joints used in heavy construction vehicles.