Flexible force / pressure sensor array

• Main Author: Long, David Yong Wei
• Other Authors: Zhang Qing
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/166721
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Flexible electronics has garnered significant attention due to their ability to conform to complex shapes and surfaces. Among them, flexible sensors that can detect physical quantities without being affected by the shape of the detector have become increasingly popular. One promising application for these sensors is to detect force or pressure distributions on objects of arbitrary shape. This requires force or pressure detection and attachment of the sensors to the object. This project aims to detect force or pressure using pressure-sensitive rubber (PSR). When a force or pressure is applied, the resistance of PSR changes, which can determine the force or pressure by monitoring the variation in resistance. The project will focus on calibrating the fundamental relationship between resistance variation and force or pressure strength. Additionally, a sensor array will be constructed using 16x10 and 16x20 PSR pixels. The signal from each pixel will be acquired and converted into digital signals in row-column scanning modes, which will then be displayed on a screen as a matrix of color-coded blocks. Overall, this project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using flexible sensors to detect force and pressure distributions on objects of arbitrary shape, opening new opportunities for flexible electronics in a range of applications.