Feature

Today’s robotics engineer challenges

We recently interviewed Ashley Sturgeon, OEM Custom Sensor Design Engineer at HBK, about robotics applications. We discussed design methods, as well as the concerns and challenges that today's robotics engineers may encounter.

04/11/2024 17:31:18

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What are some of the sensors frequently used in the robotics industry?
I'm not sure if I would say there is a most frequently used sensor. Robotics is a wide umbrella, and the types of sensors used are determined
by what's important to the robot’s function and the user. If it is motion control, maybe an IR sensor, encoder, or accelerometer. If it is load readings, then something along the lines of force and torque.

The five listed are
only a few of the many types of sensors. For each type of measurement reading, there are multiple types of sensors with different capabilities that could do the job.

To choose, one would decide what measurements are critical to the robots
(e.g. an autonomous vacuum needs to know how close it is to the nearest object) and what are desired measurements that could enhance the robot (e.g. if you add a load cell to a pick-and-place bot, you could program it
to make decisions based on how heavy the package is).

How do you design a custom sensor to fit the specific requirements of a robot? What are the key considerations for designing a custom sensor?

Read the full article in DPA's November 2024 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.