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Capacitance The basic electrical property of capacitance a measure of an objects ability to store electrical charge has been demonstrated in countless physics classes with the classic example of two electrodes with area A separated by an air gap d as shown. If the air gap decreases, the capacitanceC goes up.
Tactile Sensors
Pressure Profile Systems uses this property to build its tactile pads and arrays by separating the electrodes
using a proprietary compressible dielectric matrix, which acts like a spring. Precision manufacturing techniques allow excellentrepeatability and sensitivity, while advanced conductive materials allow for conformable, stretchable, industrial, and other hybrid sensor designs. The simplicity of the capacitive sensordesign gives PPS a large degree of flexibility when creating custom sensor solutions.
Array Sensors To build tactile array sensors, PPS arranges the electrodes as orthogonal, overlapping strips. A distinct capacitor is formed at each point where the electrodes overlap. By selectively scanning a single row and column, the capacitance at that location, and thus the local pressure, is measured. PPSsproprietary drive and conditioning electronics can scan through an array at high speed while optimizing settings to achieve the maximum sensorresponse from each sensing element.
Sensor Technology Comparison Unlike with some other tactile sensor designs,capacitivebased sensors do not have significant internal wear and tear under load. Since the scale of the deflections is so small, there is little chance for set in the material, thus reducing the frequency with which capacitive sensors must be calibrated. The following table shows a comparison of capacitive sensors versus the two other most common approaches, resistive and piezoelectrictactile sensors.
such as airbag impact testing, for instance. Nor would they be suited for use in applications where artillery was impacting the sensor. PPS does offer single-element sensors that can be used for such applications, but not an array at this point. The speed of the capacitive sensor can actually be increased by adding more electronics, but cost would also increase significantly as a result. Capacitive Tactile Sensors Arent the Cheapest Option On that note, the expression you get what you pay for is particularly apt when it comes to capacitive tactile sensors. Because they are difficult to surpass in terms of accuracy and reliability, these cuttingedge tactile sensor solutions can get quite expensive, depending on the degree of customization required. While the cost of capacitive tactile sensors over the past few years has dropped dramatically, resistive sensors remain significantly cheaper and are therefore still the most commonly used tactile sensor technology on the market today. While typically not as elegant looking or as accurate, resistive tactile sensors are cheaper and easier to replace owing to their more off-the-shelf nature. Custom capacitive tactile sensors take time to develop, and, as we all know: Time is money. At PPS, for example, we enjoy solving problems for clients and pushing boundaries with capacitive sensors. But more often than not, addressing these complex needs requires custom tactile sensor solutions that are carefully engineered using extensive hand wiring and expensive flexible cable wires. On the upside, however, the price of capacitive tactile sensors can drop dramatically with larger-volume applications.
In the case of PPSs capacitive tactile sensors, however, a proprietary compressible dielectric matrix is placed in the gap between the electrodes. Enabling the creation of tactile pads and arrays, the dielectric matrix acts like a spring and compresses in response to applied pressure. As with the classic example, capacitance changes as the gap decreases; this change is processed either as a discrete element or in a matrix configuration when scanned through electronics. Tactile array sensors are engineered by taking this concept one step further. Electrodes are arranged as orthogonal, overlapping strips in a lattice pattern. Each point of intersection in this lattice design forms a distinct capacitor, thereby enabling the measurement of capacitance and, thus, local pressureat a single point by selectively scanning an individual row and column in the array. The resulting capacitive tactile sensing technology boasts design flexibility, sensitivity, and stability among its advantages over competing technologies. It also can feature a very thin profile of 0.3 mm or 3 mm for stretchable sensors, despite the addition of the material between electrodes. But the properties and features of a capacitive tactile sensor design are ultimately determined by material selection. Advanced conductive materials lend conformability and stretchability to the sensor design; however, material selection is based on the needs of a particular application.