Development of visualization techniques for radiation and tactile utilizing magnetic compound fluid rubber

Humanoid robots are expected to play an important role in disaster and decommissioning of nuclear facilities as a replacement for humans. An important issue in developing of a robot for internal investigation in the nuclear facilities is sensing technique. Requirements for tactile sensor loaded on a robot are shock resistant (flexibility and elasticity) and radiation resistant. On the other hands, we have been developing a conductive rubber called Magnetic Compound Fluid (MCF) rubber as a haptic sensing technology. MCF rubber is a conductive rubber as haptic sensor obtained by mixing rubber and magnetic fluid, vulcanized by electrolytic polymerization. It has feasibility of self-sensing because it has self-induced voltage to change by normal and shear forces. We have planned to load the MCF rubber to a robot for internal investigation in radiation environment such as the nuclear facilities. In this study, we investigated the fundamental study by visualization of tactile and radiation utilizing MCF rubber under radiation ambience. (author)