Evaluating the Effects of Load Area and Sensor Configuration on the Performance of Pressure Sensors at Simulated Body-Device Interfaces

Autor: Jan Andrysek, Megan Hamilton, Kamran Behdinan
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: IEEE Sensors Journal. 20:5187-5194
ISSN: 2379-9153
1530-437X
DOI: 10.1109/jsen.2020.2970964
Popis: Force and pressure sensors are used at the body-device interface to monitor fit and inform designers, researchers, and clinicians in various biomedical applications. Commercial sensor manufacturers state that consistent actuation and a rigid surface beneath the sensor is required to ensure repeatable measurement results. However, the body-device interface is subjected to dynamically changing actuation, and the presence of rigid substrates can cause pain and affect the pressure distribution. A benchtop testing protocol was designed to determine the effects of load area and sensor configuration (i.e., elastomer load puck and rigid backing) on two common commercially available thin-film force sensitive resistors. Testing was performed on an apparatus designed to simulate the body-device interface. The effects of two calibration techniques on sensor performance were also examined. The coefficient of variance (CV) was used to evaluate sensor repeatability, where a CV of 10% and under is deemed acceptable for clinical use. All configuration variables (area, puck, backing) were found to significantly affect repeatability of measurements. The results suggest sensors should be used with an elastomer load puck and without a backing to ensure optimal results. One commercial sensor was found to consistently provide a CV of less than 10%. The results indicate a simplified calibration technique can be warranted (i.e., calibration settings approximate, but not match, the experimental settings) if a loading puck is used.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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