Pressure Sensors to Measure Interface-Pressure

Abstract

Typical applications for flexible sensors to measure contact pressure or pressure distribution are e-skin (e.g. robotics), body monitoring (e.g. heart rate or breathing frequency), or any other medical applications (e.g. gait cycle assessment with sensors in shoes). This chapter presents the different types of pressure sensors available on the market and described in current research papers as well as their potential for textile integration. The mostly used working principles for pressure sensors are described and their implementation in flexible structures is explained. The applicability of these sensor technologies to produce sensor arrays and assess pressure distribution over defined areas is described. Current research and commercial applications are reviewed including innovative, new technologies such as multimaterial fibers. In the future, unobtrusive, fully textile-integrated pressure or strain sensors will be used for patient monitoring, rehabilitation purposes, or performance monitoring in sports applications. An outlook regarding adapted sensor solutions based on research and advances in manufacturing procedures is presented.