Flexible Pressure Sensor Research
A research project aimed at identifying, characterizing, and comparing various flexible sensor technologies (including Qvar, FlexiForce, Velostat, and conductive paint) to measure spinal stiffness in clinical settings.
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Scientific Context
Low back pain is a major public health concern. Current clinical diagnosis relies heavily on manual palpation, a subjective method dependent on the practitioner. This project aims to develop a reliable, flexible sensor to objectively measure spinal stiffness.
Technologies Studied
- • FlexiForce: Printed piezoresistive sensor
- • Velostat: Conductive polymer film
- • BareConductive: Water-based conductive paint
- • Qvar: STMicroelectronics high-sensitivity electrostatic sensor
Experimental Setup
The measurement system utilizes the STEVAL-MKI109V3 board paired with the Qvar module, a dielectric foam-based sensor structure, and a precision scale to correlate applied pressure with electrical output.
Key Findings
- •Reliable detection of finger-to-electrode distance via dielectric constant variation
- •Signal saturation during direct contact, requiring electrode isolation
- •Oscillation amplitude proportional to applied pressure
- •High sensitivity but significant environmental interference (50Hz, metallic masses)