CN111230928A - Proximity sensor, electronic skin, manufacturing method and proximity sensing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The embodiment of the application discloses a proximity sensor, an electronic skin, a manufacturing method and a proximity sensing method; the technical field relates to artificial intelligence machine technology, in particular to a single-electrode capacitance type proximity sensor, which can comprise an electrode; the electrodes form an electric field in a space, and when an object other than the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, the approach of the object is induced by a change in the electric field. The scheme can improve the proximity sensing precision.

Description

Proximity sensor, electronic skin, manufacturing method, and proximity sensing method

technical field

The present application relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a proximity sensor, an electronic skin, a manufacturing method, and a proximity sensing method.

Background technique

Proximity sensing refers to the non-contact sensing of close range of external objects. At present, proximity sensing technology is widely used, for example, it can be applied to automatic control, intelligent terminals, robots, etc. However, the current proximity sensing mainly includes two types, one is visual-based object pattern recognition ranging, and the other is optical and acoustic ranging based on wave propagation. However, current proximity sensing is less accurate.

For example, taking robot applications as an example, with the development and application of intelligent robot technology, it is gradually deepening. Whether it is a large-scale industrial robot or an intelligent home robot, it brings efficient and convenient services to people, but the robot's programmed actions cannot sense changes in the surrounding environment, and collide with external objects such as people and objects. cause injury or damage.

To prevent damage from occurring, the researchers developed proximity sensing systems for robots. There are two main types of proximity sensing systems that are widely used in robotic systems. One is vision-based object pattern recognition and ranging, and the other is optical and acoustic ranging based on wave propagation. The visual pattern recognition is supported by the pattern database, and the camera is used to capture the object and calculate the distance from the object according to the size ratio. Optical and acoustic ranging uses the phenomenon that waves propagate in space and reflect when they encounter an object. Laser ranging and ultrasonic ranging calculate the distance of an object by measuring the time of emission or the phase change of the reflected wave.

During the research and practice of the prior art, the inventor of the present application found that the proximity sensing accuracy of the current proximity sensing system to objects is relatively low; A camera device is required, and the parameters of the sensing object need to be entered in advance. The proximity sensing accuracy depends on the accuracy of the entered parameters and the number and quality of the camera devices, but these cannot be guaranteed; another example, the current optical and ultrasonic ranging A complex light or sound wave transmitting and receiving system is required, and the entire system is large in size and cannot be arranged in large quantities, thus reducing the proximity sensing accuracy of the robot to external objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present application provide a proximity sensor, an electronic skin, a manufacturing method, and a proximity sensing method, which can improve proximity sensing accuracy.

An embodiment of the present application provides a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, including an electrode; wherein, the electrode forms an electric field in space, and when an object other than the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor In the case of proximity sensing, the approach of the object is sensed through changes in the electric field.

In one embodiment, the electrodes are flexible electrodes.

In one embodiment, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor further includes: a flexible substrate and a package body; the electrodes are arranged on the flexible substrate, the package body is arranged on the electrodes, and encapsulates the electrodes.

In one embodiment, the flexible substrate includes a top surface and a bottom surface, the electrodes are disposed on the top surface, and the bottom surface has adhesive properties.

In one embodiment, the pattern of the electrodes includes a frame shape.

Embodiments of the present application provide an electronic skin for a robot, including: at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor;

Wherein, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor forms an electric field in space, and when an object other than the robot approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor and causes the electric field to change, the electric signal of the electric field change is transmitted to the robot to The robot is made to sense the approach of the object according to the electrical signal.

In one embodiment, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor includes: a flexible substrate, an electrode and a package body; the electrode is arranged on the flexible substrate, the package body is arranged on the electrode, and the electrode is packaged. .

In one embodiment, the electrodes are flexible electrodes.

In one embodiment, the electronic skin includes at least two flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors; the at least two flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors form a proximity sensor array.

In one embodiment, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor includes: a flexible substrate, an electrode and a package body; the electrode is arranged on the flexible substrate, the package body is arranged on the electrode, and the electrode is packaged. ; wherein, the at least two single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors share a flexible substrate and a package body.

In one embodiment, the flexible substrate includes a top surface and a bottom surface, the electrodes are disposed on the top surface, and the bottom surface has adhesive properties.

In one embodiment, the package body includes tape or polydimethylsiloxane film.

In one embodiment, the pattern of the electrodes includes a frame shape.

In one embodiment, the flexible substrate comprises a polymer film.

In one embodiment, the flexible substrate includes a top surface and a bottom surface, the electrodes are disposed on the top surface, and a conductive film is disposed on the bottom surface.

An embodiment of the present application provides a robot, the outer surface of the robot is attached with the electronic skin described above; wherein, the electronic skin is electrically connected to the robot;

The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor forms an electric field in space, and when an object other than the robot approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor and causes the electric field to change, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor converts the electric field to the electric field of the change. signal transmission to the robot;

The robot is used for sensing the approach of the object according to the electrical signal.

In one embodiment, the robot includes a robotic skeleton, and the electronic skin is attached to an outer surface of the robotic skeleton.

The embodiment of the present application provides a proximity sensing method, which is suitable for a robot, and the outer surface of the robot is attached with the electronic skin provided by any one of the embodiments of the present application; the method includes:

receiving electrical signals transmitted by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor in the electronic skin;

According to the received electrical signal, the approach of the object outside the robot is sensed.

The embodiment of the present application provides a method for making an electronic skin of a robot, including:

Provide flexible substrate;

forming at least one electrode on the flexible substrate;

encapsulating the electrodes with an encapsulation body to obtain at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor;

A robotic electronic skin is fabricated using at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor.

In one embodiment, forming at least one electrode on the flexible substrate includes: forming an electrode array on the flexible substrate;

Encapsulating the electrodes with an encapsulation body to obtain at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, comprising: encapsulating the electrode array with an encapsulation body to obtain a proximity sensor array, the proximity sensor array comprising at least two common Substrate and flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors;

Using at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor to fabricate an electronic skin of a robot includes: fabricating an electronic skin of a robot by using a proximity sensor array.

In one embodiment, forming an electrode array on the flexible substrate includes:

forming a conductive layer on the flexible substrate;

Electrode fabrication is performed on the conductive layer to form an electrode array, and the electrode array includes at least two electrodes arranged in an array.

In one embodiment, forming at least one electrode on the substrate includes:

providing a conductive layer;

performing electrode fabrication processing on the conductive layer to obtain at least two electrodes;

At least two electrodes are attached on the flexible substrate according to predetermined rules, so as to form an electrode array on the flexible substrate, and the electrode array includes at least two electrodes arranged in an array.

In one embodiment, a conductive film is formed on the bottom surface of the flexible substrate.

The proximity sensing device provided by the embodiment of the present application is suitable for a robot, and the outer surface of the robot is attached with the electronic skin provided by any embodiment of the present application; the proximity sensing device includes:

a receiving unit, configured to receive the electrical signal transmitted by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor in the electronic skin;

The sensing unit is used for sensing the approach of the external object of the robot according to the received electrical signal.

This embodiment also provides a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, steps such as a proximity sensing method are implemented.

This embodiment also provides a robot, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor implements the steps of the proximity sensing method when the processor executes the program .

An embodiment of the present application provides a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, including an electrode; wherein, the electrode forms an electric field in space, and when an object other than the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor In the case of proximity sensing, the approach of the object is sensed through changes in the electric field. The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor senses the approach of an object by means of electric field changes, which can improve the accuracy of proximity emotion compared with the prior art. Moreover, since the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor is flexible, it can be attached to various parts of the application object such as the robot, realizing the omnidirectional sensing of the application object such as the robot to the external object, and greatly improving the proximity sensing accuracy of the application object to the external object. .

Description of drawings

In order to illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application more clearly, the following briefly introduces the drawings that are used in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

FIG. 1a is a schematic diagram of the electric field of a single electrode provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 1b is a schematic structural diagram of a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor provided by an embodiment of the present application;

Fig. 2 is the scene schematic diagram of the electronic skin provided by the embodiment of the present application;

3 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic skin of a robot provided by an embodiment of the present application; FIG. 4 is another structural schematic diagram of a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor provided by an embodiment of the present application;

5a is a schematic diagram of a square electrode provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 5b is a physical diagram of the square electrode provided by the embodiment of the present application;

6a is a schematic diagram of a frame electrode provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6b is a physical diagram of the frame electrode provided by the embodiment of the present application;

7 is a schematic diagram of a performance test of a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor provided by an embodiment of the present application;

8 is a schematic diagram of a performance stability test of a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor provided by an embodiment of the present application;

9 is a schematic diagram of a comparison test of the sensing performance of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor at different positions provided by the embodiment of the present application;

10 is a schematic diagram of a sensing test of a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor attached to a curved surface of a robot provided by an embodiment of the present application;

11 is a schematic structural diagram of a proximity sensor array provided by an embodiment of the present application;

12 is a flowchart of a proximity sensing method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

13 is a schematic flowchart of a method for making an electronic skin provided in an embodiment of the present application;

14 is a schematic structural diagram of a proximity sensing device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 15a is an optional schematic structural diagram of the distributed system 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application applied to the blockchain system;

FIG. 15b is an optional schematic diagram of a block structure provided by an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed ways

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, but not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the present application.

The solutions provided in this application, such as proximity sensors, electronic skins, manufacturing methods, and proximity sensing methods, relate to the field of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence (AI) uses digital computers or machines controlled by digital computers to simulate, extend and expand human beings. Intelligence, the theory, method, technology and application system for perceiving the environment, acquiring knowledge and using knowledge to obtain the best results. In other words, artificial intelligence is a comprehensive technique of computer science that attempts to understand the essence of intelligence and produce a new kind of intelligent machine that can respond in a similar way to human intelligence. Artificial intelligence is to study the design principles and implementation methods of various intelligent machines, so that the machines have the functions of perception, reasoning and decision-making.

Artificial intelligence technology is a comprehensive discipline, involving a wide range of fields, including both hardware-level technology and software-level technology. The basic technologies of artificial intelligence generally include technologies such as sensors, special artificial intelligence chips, cloud computing, distributed storage, big data processing technology, operation/interaction systems, and mechatronics.

The solutions of the embodiments of the present application specifically relate to the related field of artificial intelligence robots, and an AI robot (Robot) is a machine device that automatically performs work. It can accept human commands, run pre-programmed programs, or act according to operating laws formulated with artificial intelligence technology. Its task is to assist or replace human jobs, such as corporate production, construction, or dangerous operations. It is the product of advanced integrated cybernetics, mechanics, mechatronics, intelligent mechanics, computers, artificial intelligence engineering, materials and bionics. The main system structure of AI robots: robots are generally composed of actuators, driving devices (drivers), detection devices (sensors), control systems (controllers), and complex machinery.

In the embodiments of the present application, the robot is a machine device that automatically performs work. It can accept human command, run pre-programmed programs, or act according to principles and programs formulated with artificial intelligence technology. Its task is to assist or replace human jobs, such as production, construction, or dangerous jobs. For example, the robot may include industrial robots such as robotic arms and special robots.

The so-called industrial robot is a multi-joint manipulator or a multi-degree-of-freedom robot for the industrial field. Special robots are various advanced robots other than industrial robots that are used in non-manufacturing industries and serve humans, including: service robots, underwater robots, entertainment robots, military robots, agricultural robots, robotic machines, etc. Among the special robots, some branches are developing rapidly and have a tendency to become independent systems, such as service robots, underwater robots, military robots, and micro-operated robots.

Referring to FIGS. 1a to 11 , an embodiment of the present application provides a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 , which may include: an electrode 111 , that is, a single electrode, and the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 is flexible and has Ability to bend and stretch.

Referring to FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, the electrodes 111 can form an electric field in space, and when an object other than the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 is in the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11, the object is sensed through changes in the electric field close.

For example, the single electrode 111 in the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 can form a near-parallel electric field in the electrode axis in space. When an external object such as a human body or a conductor approaches the electrode to a certain distance, it will bind the electric field and cause an increase in capacitance. , at this time, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 will sense the proximity of the object through changes in the electric field, for example, the distance, position and other information of the sensing object and the sensor

In one embodiment, referring to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b , the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 may further include a substrate 110 and a package body 112 ; the electrode 111 is provided on the substrate 110 , and the package body 113 is provided with the electrode 111 Above, the electrode 111 is encapsulated. Referring to FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, the package body 112 can also package the electrodes 111 and the flexible substrate 110 at the same time. In addition, in other embodiments, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 may have only electrodes 111 without a substrate and a package body.

There are many ways to realize the flexibility of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11. For example, in one embodiment, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 is made flexible by the flexible substrate 110. In this case, the substrate 110 may be flexible. It is a flexible substrate; or in one embodiment, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 can be made flexible by the flexible electrode 11, and in this case, the electrode 111 can be a flexible electrode.

In one embodiment, in order to enable the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor to be attached to application objects such as robots, smart phones, unmanned vehicles, etc., the bottom surface of the substrate 110 may have adhesive properties.

In one embodiment, the pattern of the electrode 111 can be set according to actual requirements, for example, it can be frame type, non-frame type, etc., for example, refer to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b .

The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 provided by the embodiment of the present application senses the approach of an object by means of electric field changes, which can improve the accuracy of proximity emotion compared with the prior art. Moreover, since the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor is flexible, it can be attached to various parts of the application object such as the robot, realizing the omnidirectional sensing of the application object such as the robot to the external object, and greatly improving the proximity sensing accuracy of the application object to the external object. .

The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 provided in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to any object that requires proximity sensing, that is, the application object, for example, it can be applied to unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned vehicles, electric vehicles, robots, detectors (such as aviation detectors, etc.) and so on.

For example, taking an application in a robot as an example, a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 can be used to make an electronic skin of the robot, and the robot can be assisted by the electronic skin to sense the approach of an external object.

This embodiment of the present application will take an industrial robot or a home service robot as an example to introduce the electronic skin of the robot and the like.

2 to 3 , an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic skin 10 for a robot. The electronic skin 10 can be attached to the surface of the robot 20 to help the robot sense the surrounding working environment and prevent the robot from interacting with external objects such as operators. , or the collision of service objects, etc., resulting in losses.

The electronic skin 10 may include at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 , for example, may include one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 , or at least two flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 . In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 3 , in order to improve the proximity sensing accuracy of the robot 20 to external objects, the electronic skin 20 may include a proximity sensor array 12 , and the proximity sensor array 12 includes at least two flexible single electrodes arranged in an array. Capacitive Proximity Sensing 11.

In practical applications, the more single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 in the electronic skin 10 and the greater the density, the higher the proximity sensing accuracy to external objects. For example, in order to improve the sensing accuracy, a high-density single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor can be set 11.

The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 in the embodiment of the present application may be a capacitive proximity sensor including a single electrode. In the embodiment of the present application, a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor may be fabricated by utilizing the spatial electric field of the electrode, thereby fabricating the electronics of the robot. skin.

Wherein, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 can form an electric field in space, and when an object other than the robot such as an object approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor and causes the electric field to change, the electric signal of the electric field change is transmitted to the robot. , so that the robot senses the approach of the object according to the electrical signal. For example, the robot can analyze and judge the approach of external objects based on changes in electrical signals.

For example, referring to FIG. 3 , the single electrode in the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 of the electronic skin 10 can form a near-parallel electric field in the space of the electrode axis. When an external object such as a human body or a conductor approaches the electrode to a certain distance, it will be bound to the electrode. The electric field will cause the increase of capacitance. At this time, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 will transmit the electric signal of the electric field change to the robot 20, and the robot 20 will sense the proximity of the object according to the received electric signal, for example, the distance between the sensing object and the robot , location, etc.

In this embodiment of the present application, a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 can be used to make the electronic skin 10, then the electronic skin 10 is also flexible as a whole and has a certain bending deformation ability (refer to FIG. 2), therefore, the electronic skin can be It is well attached to the outer surface of the robot, which can better help the robot 20 to sense the approach of external objects such as human body or conductors, avoid the robot colliding with it, and make the robot make corresponding avoidance or braking actions, which greatly improves the proximity sensing accuracy. .

For example, since the flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 is used, the electronic skin 10 can be attached to the exoskeleton of the robot, such as the cylindrical outer wall of the robot arm, the front chest or the back of the robot trunk; The electronic skin is attached to the key parts of the robot, such as the joint parts of the robot and some parts with complex shapes, so that some parts can accurately sense the approach of external objects and respond accordingly.

There may be various structures of the flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 in the embodiment of the present application. For example, in an embodiment, referring to FIGS. 1a and 1b, the flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 may include a flexible lining Bottom 110 , electrodes 111 and packaging body 112 ; the electrodes 111 are arranged on the flexible substrate 110 , the packaging body 113 is arranged on the electrodes 111 , and encapsulates the electrodes 111 . 4 , in one embodiment, the package body 112 can also package the electrodes 111 and the flexible substrate 110 at the same time.

The flexible substrate 110 may be a substrate made of a flexible material. In one embodiment, the flexible substrate 110 may be a flexible insulating substrate, which may be a substrate made of a flexible insulating material. For example, it may include a thin film of a flexible material, that is, a thin film made of a flexible material. For example, the flexible substrate 110 may include a polymer film. The polymer film may include PET (Polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate) film, PI (PolyimideFilm, polyimide film) and the like.

In one embodiment, in order to improve the safety, stability and proximity sensing accuracy of the electronic skin, all single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 in the electronic skin share a flexible substrate. In one embodiment, the flexible substrate shared by all the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 can be used as the substrate of the electronic skin 10 for attaching the electronic skin to the outer surface of the robot. In actual use, the shared flexible substrate can be directly attached to the outer surface of the robot.

In one embodiment, in order to prevent interference between the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11, all the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 in the electronic skin do not share a flexible substrate, that is, each single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 There are respective flexible substrates 110 . The electronic skin 10 is composed of at least one single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 . For example, in one embodiment, a flexible electronic skin substrate can be provided, and all single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 can be arranged on the electronic skin substrate (eg, pasted, etc.) to form the electronic skin 10 . In actual use, the electronic skin substrate can be attached to the outer surface of the robot. For another example, in one embodiment, at least one unipolar capacitive proximity sensor 11 can be directly attached to the outer surface of the machine to directly serve as the electronic skin 10 .

Wherein, the electrode 111 may be an electrode made of a conductive material, that is, the material of the electrode is conductive material, for example, an electrode may be an electrode made of a conductive material such as a metal electrode or a conductive carbon cloth. In one embodiment, for the flexibility of the sensor, so that the electronic skin can be more easily attached to the outer surface of the robot, the electrode 111 may be a flexible electrode, for example, an electrode made of a flexible conductive material. For example, the electrode 111 can be an electrode made of a conductive carbon cloth with bending properties, and so on.

In this embodiment of the present application, the shape of the electrode 111 may be any shape, for example, the pattern of the electrode 111 may be a square circle or any polygon. For example, referring to FIG. 5a, the electrode 111 may be a square electrode, and FIG. 5b is a real square electrode. In FIG. 5b, the electrode 111 on the flexible substrate 110 may include a square electrode body 1110 and a signal lead 1111, and the signal lead 1111 is used to transmit electrical signals.

In one embodiment, in order to improve the sensing accuracy of the sensor, the pattern of the electrodes 111 may be any frame shape, such as a triangular frame shape, a circular frame shape, a square frame shape or an arbitrary polygonal frame shape. For example, referring to FIG. 6a, the electrode 111 may be a square frame electrode, and FIG. 6b is a real square electrode. In FIG. 6b, the electrode 111 on the flexible substrate 110 may include a frame electrode body 1110 and a signal lead 1111. The signal lead 1111 is used for transmit electrical signals.

In the embodiment of the present application, the size of the electrode 11 is not fixed and can be set according to actual requirements, for example, it can be selected in the range of micrometers to meters.

In an embodiment, in order to improve the adhesion of the electronic skin, the bottom surface of the flexible substrate 110 has adhesion, for example, the flexible substrate 110 may include a top surface and a bottom surface, and the electrodes 11 are disposed on the top surface, The bottom surface is adhesive. For example, in actual use, the bottom surface of the flexible substrate 110 of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 10 can be attached to the outer surface of the robot.

In one embodiment, when the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 10 share a flexible substrate, since the bottom surface of the flexible substrate has adhesive properties, the bottom surface can be attached to the outer surface of the robot as an electronic skin. Since the flexible substrate has flexibility and adhesion, it can be well attached to the outer surface of any part of the robot in practical application.

In the embodiment of the present application, the package body 112 is used to encapsulate the electrode 111 to form a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor. The package body 112 has a protective function to prevent the electrode 111 from contacting the external environment; wherein, the package body 112 can wrap the electrode 111 . In one embodiment, in order to better protect the electrodes 111 , the encapsulation body 112 can also encapsulate the electrodes 111 and the flexible substrate 110 at the same time, and the encapsulation body 112 can wrap the electrodes 111 and the flexible substrate 110 .

The encapsulation body 112 may include an encapsulation body such as a tape, a film, or the like; for example, the encapsulation body 112 may include a PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane film) or the like.

The proximity sensing performance of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor designed in the embodiment of the present application is stronger than that of the current sensor, and the sensing accuracy of the external object of the robot is very high. Referring to FIG. 7, it is the performance of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor of the frame-shaped and square-shaped electrodes of the embodiment of the present application under different sensing distances in the actual test. The left is the performance of the sensor with the frame-shaped electrode, and the right is the performance of the sensor. The performance of the square electrode sensor, where the performance index can be the sensing intensity.

The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor designed in the embodiment of the present application has stronger performance stability than existing sensors. For example, referring to FIG. 8 , in the actual test, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor with frame-shaped electrodes has different sensing distances. The performance stability performance is shown in Figure 8, where curve 1 represents the sensing performance when the object is far away, and curve 2 represents the sensing performance when the object is close. The two curves in Figure 8 are completely coincident, showing good stability of the sensor performance.

The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor designed in the embodiment of the present application has little difference in sensing performance for external objects at different positions, and is extremely stable. For example, referring to FIG. 9, it is a comparison of the sensing performance of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor of the frame-shaped electrode to different surrounding positions in the actual test. Specifically, in the actual test, for the five positions of the frame-shaped electrode (ie The sensing performance of the upper left, middle left, lower left, upper middle, and middle) is compared. It can be seen from Figure 9 that the sensing performance at these five positions has little fluctuation and strong stability. Wherein, in the third picture in FIG. 9 , k1 represents the sensing distance, and k2 represents the response amplitude (rensponse amplitude).

In addition, after the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor designed in the embodiment of the present application is attached to the outer surface of the robot, its sensing performance does not change much and has extremely strong stability. For example, refer to Figure 10 for the sensing performance of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor attached to the curved surface of the robot in an actual test.

In one embodiment, in order to improve the proximity sensing accuracy or sensing accuracy of the robot to external objects, the present application may use a flexible capacitive proximity sensing array to form the electronic skin 10, that is, the electronic skin 10 may include at least two (two One or more than two) flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11, at least two flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 can form a proximity sensor array; Arrays are arranged to form proximity sensor arrays. For example, referring to FIG. 2 , the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 on the electronic skin 10 are arranged in an array to form a proximity sensor array.

In one embodiment, in order to improve the performance and stability of the proximity sensor array and improve the accuracy of proximity sensing, all flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors in the proximity sensor array share a flexible substrate and a package body. Specifically, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 in the proximity sensor array may share a large-area flexible substrate, that is, the proximity sensor array is fabricated on the large-area flexible substrate. That is, the flexible substrate shared by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 is the substrate of the electronic skin 10 .

It should be understood that in other embodiments, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 in the proximity sensor array may not share the flexible substrate. You can choose according to actual needs.

For example, referring to FIG. 11, the proximity sensor array 30 may include a large area flexible substrate 113, an electrode array 114, and a package body 115; the electrodes 114 are provided on the flexible substrate 113, and the package body 115 is provided with the On the electrodes 111 and the flexible substrate 113, the electrode array 114 and the flexible substrate 113 are packaged. The electrode 114 includes at least two electrodes, and the at least two electrodes may be arranged in an array on the flexible substrate 113 . In one implementation, the flexible substrate 113 can directly serve as the substrate of the electronic skin.

The electrodes in the electrode array 114 may be electrodes made of conductive materials, that is, electrodes made of conductive materials, for example, electrodes made of conductive materials such as metal electrodes and conductive carbon cloth. The shape of the electrode can be set according to actual needs, for example, it can be square, frame, grid and so on.

The flexible substrate 113 may be a substrate made of a flexible material. In one embodiment, the flexible substrate 113 may be a flexible insulating substrate, which may be a substrate made of a flexible insulating material. For example, it can include a film of flexible material, that is, a film made of a flexible material.

In an embodiment, in order to improve the adhesion of the electronic skin, the bottom surface of the flexible substrate 113 has adhesion, for example, the flexible substrate 113 may include a top surface and a bottom surface, and the electrode array 114 is disposed on the top surface. , the bottom surface is adhesive. For example, in actual use, the bottom surface of the flexible substrate 113 of the proximity sensor array 30 can be attached to the outer surface of the robot. Since the flexible substrate of the proximity sensor array 30 has flexibility (ie, has a certain bending deformation ability) and adhesion, it can be well attached to the outer surface of any part of the robot in practical application.

The encapsulation body 115 can encapsulate the electrode array 114, and in one embodiment, the electrode array 114 and the flexible substrate 113 can also be encapsulated at the same time. The encapsulation body 115 may include an encapsulation body such as a tape, a film, or the like; for example, the encapsulation body 115 may include a PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane film) or the like.

In one embodiment, in order to shield the electric field interference inside the robot, a conductive film may be arranged on the bottom surface of the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11; On the bottom surface, electrodes can be arranged on the top surface, for example, electrodes or electrode arrays can be arranged on the top surface, and a conductive film can be arranged on the bottom surface of the substrate.

For example, in one embodiment, under the condition that the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 do not share a substrate, a conductive film may be provided on the bottom surface of the flexible substrate of each single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 .

For another example, in one embodiment, a conductive film may be provided on the bottom surface of the flexible substrate 113 shared by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors 11 in the proximity sensor array 30 .

The conductive film may include copper foil, aluminum foil, carbon cloth, and the like.

In actual use, the conductive film of the electronic skin 10 can be attached to the outer surface of the robot.

It can be seen from the above that the electronic skin designed in the embodiment of the present application can be attached to the outer surface of the robot, and can sense the approach of an external object through electric field changes, so that the robot can accurately sense the proximity of an external object. The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor can increase the sensing distance to more than 50cm, so that the robot has more reaction time and reduces the risk of collision.

In addition, since the electronic skin adopts a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, it can be attached to various parts of the robot, realizing the omnidirectional sensing of the machine to external objects, and greatly improving the proximity sensing accuracy of the robot to external objects.

Further, the electronic skin designed in the embodiments of the present application may include fabricating a high-density multilayer thin film sensor array on a large-area substrate, and the use of the electronic skin of the present application does not require additional sensing devices. The sensing array is attached to the outer surface of the robot, which can realize all-round sensing of external objects in various parts of the robot. The high-density array also helps the robot to accurately determine the specific position of the object close to the robot, so as to truly realize the robot's complete understanding of the working environment. Early warning to prevent collision with objects. The flexible capacitive proximity sensing array provided by the embodiment of the present application can make the sensing accuracy of the robot to the object reach the millimeter level, and the spatial resolution can be reduced to the millimeter level, so as to realize high-density sensing.

The electronic skin designed in the embodiment of this application adopts a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor such as a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor array. The substrate of the electrode is made of a flexible material film, and the electrode can also choose a flexible conductive material, which is packaged with a flexible film material to achieve The overall flexibility of the sensing array has a certain bending deformation ability. It can be well attached to the surface of the robot.

In addition, the flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor provided by the embodiment of the present application is small in size and low in cost, and can be easily arranged in a large number of robots.

The electronic skin provided by the embodiments of the present application can be applied in the proximity sensing scenarios of various robots, for example, in some scenarios, a small area proximity sensor application can be realized. On the narrow or pointed parts of the robot, such as fingertips, a single sensor or a simple sensor array is designed for proximity sensing according to the specific situation. Help the robot to actively sense objects during operation and take timely braking or evasive actions to prevent collisions in narrow or pointed parts during work.

For another example, in some scenarios, proximity sensors and arrays can also be arranged on the contact surface between the robot and the object (such as the pulp of the fingers, the palm of the palm, etc.) to prompt the robot to grasp or touch the position of the object and The rough shape allows the robot to adjust its posture and speed, and make grasping or touching actions more smoothly.

Referring to FIG. 12 , an embodiment of the present application also provides a proximity sensing method, which is suitable for a robot. The electronic skin as described above is attached to the outer surface of the robot. The method can be specifically executed by a processor in the robot. include:

S121. Receive an electrical signal transmitted by a single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor in the electronic skin.

The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 can form an electric field in space, and when an object other than the robot approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor and causes the electric field to change, the electric signal of the electric field change is transmitted to the robot.

For example, it is transmitted to the robot 20 through the connection circuit between the electronic skin 10 and the robot 20

S122. Sensing the approach of an external object of the robot according to the received electrical signal.

For example, in one embodiment, the approach of the robot to an external object and the like can be analyzed and judged according to the change of the received electrical signal.

For example, information such as the distance, position, and shape of the robot and external objects can be sensed according to the received electrical signals.

Among them, there are various approaches to the robot's external objects that are sensed according to the electrical signals. For example, the distance between the robot and the external objects can be calculated according to the strength of the electrical signals.

When the electronic skin adopts a sensor array, the robot can sense the approach of an external object, such as the position and distance of the external object, according to the electrical signal transmitted by each single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor 11 in the array.

It can be seen from the above that in the embodiment of the present application, an electronic skin made of a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor can be used, the electronic skin can be attached to the outer surface of the robot, and the machine can pass the electrical signal transmitted by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor in the electronic skin. to sense the approach of external objects; compared with existing proximity sensing solutions, the accuracy of proximity sensing can be improved.

The embodiment of the present application also provides a method for manufacturing an electronic skin of a robot, as shown in FIG. 13 , the method includes:

S131, providing a flexible substrate.

Wherein, the flexible substrate includes a flexible material film, such as a polymer film, and may specifically include: PET, PI, and the like.

S132, forming at least one electrode on the flexible substrate;

The number of electrodes can be determined according to the number of sensors to be fabricated. For example, one electrode can be formed on the flexible substrate when one sensor is fabricated; n electrodes can be formed on the flexible substrate when n sensors are fabricated, wherein, n is a positive integer greater than 1.

In one embodiment, when a proximity sensor array needs to be fabricated, an electrode array can be formed on the flexible substrate, the electrode array includes at least two electrodes, and the at least two electrodes are arranged in an array.

There are various ways to form the electrode array on the flexible substrate. For example, in one embodiment, a conductive layer is formed on the flexible substrate; electrode fabrication processing is performed on the conductive layer to form electrodes The electrode array includes at least two electrodes arranged in an array.

The conductive layer may be a layer made of conductive materials, such as a metal layer, conductive carbon cloth, and the like. The metal layer may include a metal network layer, etc., which may be specifically set according to actual requirements. For example, the metal network layer may be formed by spraying silver nanowires on the substrate.

Among them, there are many ways to form the conductive layer on the flexible substrate, for example, vapor deposition, spray coating, printing and the like can be used.

For example, a metal layer of conductive metal can be evaporated on a polymer (PET, PI, etc.) film, a metal layer printed on a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer rubber (TPU) film; sprayed on a polymer (PET, PI, etc.) film Metal network layers of silver nanowires, etc.

There are also various ways to form electrodes by performing electrode fabrication processing on the conductive layer, which can be selected according to actual needs. For example, in one embodiment, the electrode material is a conductive carbon cloth with bending properties, and laser cutting is used to cut the carbon cloth into an electrode size to form an electrode array.

For another example, in one embodiment, when the electrode material is a metal electrode with conductive metal vapor deposited on a polymer (PET, PI, etc.) film, laser cutting can be used to cut the gold-plated electrode into electrode size or directly use a mask for vapor deposition out the electrode array.

For another example, in one embodiment, when the electrodes are printed on a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer rubber (TPU) film, a mask is used to directly fabricate a flexible electrode array.

For another example, in one embodiment, when the electrode is a metal network electrode with silver nanowires sprayed on a polymer (PET, PI, etc.) film, an electrode array is directly sprayed with a mask to make a flexible electrode array.

Among them, the specific shape and size of the electrodes are not fixed, and can be in the range of micrometers to meters. The design of the single electrode is square, circular or arbitrary polygon and any frame type (including triangular frame type, circular frame type, square frame type or arbitrary polygon frame type). In the electrode array, the electrodes are arranged in an array according to the actual situation.

In one embodiment, the method of forming the electrode array on the flexible substrate may further include firstly fabricating electrodes, and then attaching the electrodes to the flexible substrate; specifically, providing a conductive layer; and performing electrode fabrication on the conductive layer processing to obtain at least two electrodes; and attaching the at least two electrodes on the flexible substrate according to predetermined rules to form an electrode array on the flexible substrate, the electrode array comprising at least two electrodes arranged in an array .

For example, when choosing a conductive carbon cloth with bending properties as the electrode material, laser cutting is used to cut the carbon cloth into the size of an electrode, and then the electrode is attached to a polymer film to form an electrode array on a flexible substrate. that is

S133 , encapsulating the electrodes with a package body to obtain at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor.

In one embodiment, the electrodes and the flexible substrate can be encapsulated simultaneously using the encapsulation body.

For example, in the case of one electrode, an encapsulation body can be used to encapsulate the electrode to obtain a single flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor.

For another example, in the case of a plurality of electrodes such as electrode arrays, the electrode arrays are packaged with a package body to obtain a proximity sensor array, the proximity sensor array comprising at least two flexible single-electrode capacitive type that share a substrate Proximity sensor.

Wherein, the package body may include adhesive tape or PDMS film or the like.

For example, when the electrode uses a metal network electrode sprayed with silver nanowires on a polymer (PET, PI, etc.) film, an electrode array is directly sprayed with a mask to make a flexible electrode array. A proximity sensor array is obtained by encapsulating the sensor with tape or PDMS film on the upper layer.

In one embodiment, in order to shield the electric field interference inside the robot, a conductive film can be formed on the bottom surface of the flexible substrate, that is, a conductive film such as copper is placed on the lower layer of the sensor or sensor array. Foil, aluminum foil, carbon cloth, etc.

S134, using at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor to make an electronic skin of the robot.

For example, in one embodiment, at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor can be used as an electronic skin; for example, the proximity sensor can be used as an electronic skin of a robot. In actual use, at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor such as a sensor array is directly attached to the outer surface of the robot.

For another example, in an embodiment, an at least flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor may also be disposed on the electronic skin substrate to form an electronic skin. In actual use, the electronic skin substrate is attached to the outer surface of the robot.

This application designs a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensing electronic skin, which is mainly applied to the outer surface of the robot to help the robot sense the surrounding working environment and avoid losses caused by collision between the robot and the operator or service object. Large-area proximity sensor arrays are attached to larger areas of the robot, such as the cylindrical outer walls of the arms and the chest or back of the robot's trunk. To achieve high-density long-distance sensing of people in a large area, the high-density array can enable the robot to sense the position of the object more accurately, thereby avoiding the collision between the robot and the human.

Compared with the prior art, the technical scheme of the present invention has the following effects:

1. The flexible capacitive proximity sensing array produced by the present invention can make the sensing accuracy of the robot to the object reach the millimeter level, and the spatial resolution can be reduced to the millimeter level, so as to realize high-density sensing.

2. The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor can increase the sensing distance to more than 50cm, so that the robot has more reaction time and reduces the risk of collision.

3. The flexible sensing array can be easily attached to the surface of the robot to realize all-round sensing of the surrounding environment by the robot.

In order to better implement the above method, correspondingly, an embodiment of the present application further provides a proximity sensing device, which can be integrated in a robot, and the electronic skin as described above is attached to the outer surface of the robot. Referring to FIG. 14, the proximity sensing device may include a receiving unit 140 and a sensing unit 141, as follows:

a receiving unit 140, configured to receive the electrical signal transmitted by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor in the electronic skin;

The sensing unit 141 is configured to sense the approach of an external object of the robot according to the received electrical signal.

It can be seen from the above that in the embodiment of the present application, an electronic skin made of a flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor can be used, the electronic skin can be attached to the outer surface of the robot, and the machine can pass the electrical signal transmitted by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor in the electronic skin. to sense the approach of external objects; compared with existing proximity sensing solutions, the accuracy of proximity sensing can be improved.

The proximity sensing system involved in the embodiments of the present application may be a distributed system formed by connecting a client and multiple nodes (robots of any form in the access network) through network communication. Among them, the sensing data of the robot can be stored in a distributed system such as a blockchain.

Taking the distributed system as the blockchain system as an example, see FIG. 15a, FIG. 15a is an optional structural schematic diagram of the distributed system 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application applied to the blockchain system, consisting of multiple nodes (access Any form of computing equipment in the network, such as servers, user terminals) and clients are formed, and a peer-to-peer (P2P, PeerTo Peer) network is formed between nodes. The P2P protocol is a transmission control protocol (TCP, Transmission Control Protocol) Application layer protocol on top of the protocol. In a distributed system, any machine such as server, terminal, and intelligent robot can join to become a node, and the node includes hardware layer, middle layer, operating system layer and application layer. In this embodiment, the proximity sensing data and the like can be stored in the shared ledger of the blockchain system through the nodes of the blockchain system, and a computer device (such as a terminal or server) can obtain the proximity sensing data based on the recorded data stored in the shared ledger.

Referring to the functions of each node in the blockchain system shown in Figure 15a, the involved functions include:

1) Routing, a basic function that a node has to support communication between nodes.

In addition to the routing function, a node can also have the following functions:

2) Application, used to deploy in the blockchain, implement specific business according to actual business needs, record data related to the realization of functions to form record data, carry a digital signature in the record data to indicate the source of the task data, and send the record data To other nodes in the blockchain system, for other nodes to add the record data to the temporary block when verifying the source and integrity of the record data successfully.

For example, the services implemented by the application include:

2.1) Wallet, which is used to provide the function of conducting electronic currency transactions, including initiating transactions (that is, sending the transaction record of the current transaction to other nodes in the blockchain system, and after the other nodes have successfully verified the transaction, it will be used as a response to acknowledge that the transaction is valid. , store the record data of the transaction in the temporary block of the blockchain; of course, the wallet also supports querying the remaining electronic currency in the electronic currency address;

2.2) Shared ledger is used to provide functions such as storage, query and modification of account data, and the record data of operations on account data is sent to other nodes in the blockchain system. After the other nodes verify the validity, it will be used as an approved account. In response to valid data, the record data is stored in a temporary block, and an acknowledgment can also be sent to the node that initiated the operation.

2.3) Smart contracts, computerized agreements, which can execute the terms of a contract, are implemented through the code deployed on the shared ledger for execution when certain conditions are met, and the code is used to complete automated transactions according to actual business needs, For example, query the logistics status of the goods purchased by the buyer, and transfer the buyer's electronic currency to the merchant's address after the buyer signs for the goods; of course, the smart contract is not limited to the execution of the contract used for the transaction, but also the execution of the received information. deal with the contract.

3) Blockchain, including a series of blocks (Blocks) that follow each other in chronological order. Once a new block is added to the blockchain, it will not be removed. The block records the blockchain system. The record data submitted by the middle node.

Referring to FIG. 15b, FIG. 15b is an optional schematic diagram of a block structure (Block Structure) provided by an embodiment of the present application. Each block includes the hash value of the transaction record stored in this block (the hash value of this block). ), and the hash value of the previous block, each block is connected by the hash value to form a blockchain. In addition, the block may also include information such as a timestamp when the block was generated. Blockchain (Blockchain) is essentially a decentralized database, which is a series of data blocks associated with cryptographic methods. Each data block contains relevant information to verify the validity of its information. (anti-counterfeiting) and generate the next block.

Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above-mentioned embodiments can be completed by instructions, or by instructions that control relevant hardware, and the instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and loaded and executed by the processor.

To this end, the embodiments of the present application further provide a storage medium, in which a plurality of instructions are stored, and the instructions can be loaded by the processor to execute the steps in any of the proximity sensing methods provided by the embodiments of the present application, or steps in the production method.

For the specific implementation of the above operations, reference may be made to the foregoing embodiments, and details are not described herein again.

Wherein, the storage medium may include: a read only memory (ROM, Read Only Memory), a random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), a magnetic disk or an optical disk, and the like.

Since the instructions stored in the storage medium can execute any of the proximity sensing methods or the steps in the manufacturing methods provided by the embodiments of the present application, any proximity sensing methods provided by the embodiments of the present application can be implemented , or the beneficial effects that can be achieved by the manufacturing method, see the foregoing embodiments for details, and are not repeated here.

The electronic skin of a robot, a manufacturing method, a proximity sensing method and a storage medium provided by the embodiments of the present application have been described above in detail. In this article, specific examples are used to illustrate the principles and implementations of the present application. The description of the example is only used to help understand the method of the present application and its core idea; meanwhile, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of the present application, there will be changes in the specific embodiment and the scope of application. In summary, The contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the application.

Claims (15)

1. A flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, comprising an electrode; The electrodes form an electric field in space, and when an object other than the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, the approach of the object is sensed through changes in the electric field. 2 . The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are flexible electrodes. 3 . 3 . The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising: a flexible substrate and a package body; the electrodes are provided on the flexible substrate, and the package body is provided with the electrodes. 4 . Above, the counter electrode package. 4 . The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, the electrodes are arranged on the top surface, and the bottom surface has adhesive properties. 5 . . 5. The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the pattern of the electrodes comprises a frame shape. 6. An electronic skin for a robot, comprising: at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor; Wherein, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor forms an electric field in space, and when an object other than the robot approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor and causes the electric field to change, the electric signal of the electric field change is transmitted to the robot to The robot is made to sense the approach of the object according to the electrical signal. 7 . The electronic skin according to claim 6 , wherein the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor comprises: a flexible substrate, an electrode and a package body; the electrode is arranged on the flexible substrate, and the package The body is arranged on the electrode, and the electrode is encapsulated. 8 . The electronic skin according to claim 6 , comprising at least two flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors; the at least two flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors form a proximity sensor array. 9 . 9 . The electronic skin according to claim 8 , wherein the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor comprises: a flexible substrate, electrodes and a package body; the electrodes are arranged on the flexible substrate, and the package body The body is disposed on the electrode, and the electrode is packaged; wherein, the at least two single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors share a flexible substrate and a package body. 10. The electronic skin according to claim 7 or 9, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, the electrodes are disposed on the top surface, and a conductive film is disposed on the bottom surface. 11. A robot, characterized in that, the electronic skin according to any one of claims 6-10 is attached to the outer surface of the robot; wherein, the electronic skin is electrically connected to the robot; The single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor forms an electric field in space, and when an object other than the robot approaches the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor and causes the electric field to change, the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor converts the electric field to the electric field of the change. signal transmission to the robot; The robot is used for sensing the approach of the object according to the electrical signal. 12. A proximity sensing method, characterized in that it is suitable for a robot, and the electronic skin according to any one of claims 6-10 is attached to the outer surface of the robot; the method comprises: receiving electrical signals transmitted by the single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor in the electronic skin; According to the received electrical signal, the approach of the object outside the robot is sensed. 13. A method for making an electronic skin of a robot, comprising: Provide flexible substrate; forming at least one electrode on the flexible substrate; encapsulating the electrodes with an encapsulation body to obtain at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor; A robotic electronic skin is fabricated using at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor. 14. The method for manufacturing an electronic skin according to claim 13, wherein forming at least one electrode on the flexible substrate comprises: forming an electrode array on the flexible substrate; Encapsulating the electrodes with an encapsulation body to obtain at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor, comprising: encapsulating the electrode array with an encapsulation body to obtain a proximity sensor array, the proximity sensor array comprising at least two common Substrate and flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensors; Using at least one flexible single-electrode capacitive proximity sensor to fabricate an electronic skin of a robot includes: fabricating an electronic skin of a robot by using a proximity sensor array. 15. The method for manufacturing an electronic skin according to claim 14, wherein forming an electrode array on the flexible substrate comprises: forming a conductive layer on the flexible substrate; performing electrode fabrication processing on the conductive layer to form an electrode array, the electrode array comprising at least two electrodes arranged in an array; or providing a conductive layer; performing electrode fabrication processing on the conductive layer to obtain at least two electrodes; At least two electrodes are attached on the flexible substrate according to predetermined rules, so as to form an electrode array on the flexible substrate, and the electrode array includes at least two electrodes arranged in an array.

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