Development of a mm-Wavelength Metamaterial-Based Torque Sensor
Torque sensors have a vast variety of applications within the scope of the increasing automation in everyday technologies. As fundamentally important part in every servo-assisted steering system they are indispensable for the automotive sector. Moreover, precise torque data of drivetrain components allows for an elaborate analysis of engine performance, automatic transmissions or torque converters. Concerning the road towards autonomous driving, torque sensors are essential for drive control as well as in the improvement of safety systems such as traction control systems or electronic stability controls. In the emerging field of collaborative robotics, it is obligatory to have highly integrated force sensors that enable rapid reactions in the interaction with humans. Thus, it is evident that torque sensors are subject of current research with the aim of providing elaborate solutions for the increasingly complex demands in the aforementioned fields of application.
The objective of this dissertation is to develop a completely new concept of torque sensor based on tunable metamaterials. Therewith, it is expected to provide a sensor design that has a unique selling point compared to currently available products.
The first part of the work consists of an elaborate literature research in order to identify the state of the art and to determine a first target application. Thereupon, an analytical approach for the description of metamaterial structures is worked out. This serves as a basis for subsequent numerical simulations, which are an important part of the design process. Further, the experimental analysis of the measuring principle is a central topic of the work. In the final process of developing a practical torque sensor system, the challenging demands in the context of automotive industry as well as collaborative robotics have to be considered. The realization of the new torque sensor is carried out in collaboration with Infineon Technologies AG.
