Development of a thin and flexible sensor for measurement of triaxial contact-stress distribution

Measurement of contact pressure and shear stress is crucial in fields like sports engineering and bioengineering. Conventional sensors used for these measurements are often thick and rigid, making them unsuitable for accurate measurements on the contact interface. While sensors for shear stress distribution have been developed, they are typically too bulky to place on the contact surface. Furthermore, few sensors are both thin and flexible enough to measure shear stress distribution without disturbing the interaction between the contacting objects. Recent advances have been led to the development of a thin and flexible sensor using printable conductive materials, enabling simultaneous measurement of contact pressure and shear stress. However, these sensors face limitations in integrating measurement points due to increased complexity of lead wiring. To address the challenges, a novel thin and flexible sensor system has been developed to measure both contact pressure and shear stress distributions. This system is designed to offer flexibility while maintaining accuracy. Its effectiveness is demonstrated through experimental validation, highlighting its potential for practical applications.