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Flexible sensors

28.06.2011

Elastomer can be used to make miniature devices, with the help of which smart materials will "feel" pressure and touch. A smart home, a self-parking car, a medical robot or a servant robot, clothing that helps movement...

All these devices that embody the dreams of science fiction writers of the XNUMXth century are impossible without sensors - radars, electronic noses, sensors for presence, movement, pressure, thermometers and much more. A huge number of researchers all over the world are engaged in the development of miniature sensors.

Engineers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research in Würzburg, led by Dr. Holger Böhse, have created a flexible pressure sensor. It consists of a layer of elastomer, to the sides of which flexible electrodes are attached. In an elastomer, polymer molecules form a more or less dense three-dimensional network, which determines its rigidity. Under load, the mesh is deformed, the thickness of the polymer layer changes, and at the same time its electrical conductivity changes, which can be fixed.

Elastomers are so resilient that they can double their volume under load. One possible application is a sensor to determine the posture of a person in a car seat: it is important to know this when the airbag deploys in the event of an accident. By installing sensors in the floor, you can notice that a person has come too close to dangerous equipment, and by integrating them into clothing, analyze the sequence of movements (this will help athletes improve their results).

In general, since the elasticity of elastomers varies widely, they can be used to make many inexpensive sensors for a wide variety of applications.

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