South Korean manufacturer LG Innotek has announced new concept textile flexible pressure sensors, capable of sensing pressure from the entire surface of the sensor.
The sensors are made with a special polyurethane material that is sensitive to the pressure and has great elasticity. When an external force is applied to the sensor, electric poles inside the fibre detect the deformation to determine the pressure.
Changhwan Kim, Head of the LG Innotek’s R&D Center said existing commercial sensors are coin shape and made of PCB substrates or PET films, making them difficult to bend or deform.
"We tried to break away from the previous method and attempt new methods to develop innovative products," said Kim
“We will continue to develop materials and components in various fields to provide new experiences to our customers."
He says the sensors are useful for measuring interactions between people and equipment.
One example he gave was in healthcare areas, where they could be used to detect detect body balance, improving the accuracy of telemedicine.
Another was in sports equipment, where the sensor could detect the pressure and position of hands on a golf club, then send the information to a smartphone to help the player find the perfect grip.
A third possibility is in the automotive industry where the sensors could assess posture, body type and weight to automatically correct the height of car-seat or pressure of airbags.
The company has filed thirteen patents regarding the related technologies in South Korea and will begin mass production this year.
[A flexible textile pressure sensor. Photo: LG Innotek]
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