Affiliation:
1. Luleå University of Technology, Sweden & Umeå University, Sweden
2. Umeå University, Sweden
Abstract
The chapter involves the description and the application of a new sensor technology called tactile resonance sensors for diagnoses of the age-related diseases glaucoma and prostate cancer. Tactile resonance sensors in general are used for measuring the parameters of a contact between sensor and object of unknown physical properties. Tactile sensing can be defined as a system that can measure tactile properties of an object or contact event, through physical contact between the system and the object. This differs from other kinds of force/torque sensors in which there are requirements for measurement of total magnitudes of forces acting upon an object. Tactile resonance sensors described in this chapter consist of piezoelectric transducers and have a mechanical resonance frequency or relative phase of oscillation dependent on the measured parameter. Such sensors are used in industrial as well as medical applications. It can be concluded that the potential of tactile resonance sensors for detecting different symptoms of age related diseases, like glaucoma and prostate cancer, is very promising. The presented sensor systems have already been patented, and no doubt, we will in the near future experience several new biomedical instruments on the heath care market based on tactile resonance sensors.