Pressure sensing platform for health monitoring

A new flexible pressure mapping platform using Inkjet Printing technology for application in health monitoring is presented here. The printing technology enables a simple, low cost and large scale manufacturing process. The sensing platform consists in a flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Boards) manufactured using conventional technology (defining the electrical connections and the capacitors dimensions) together with two flexible polymeric membranes (TPU) printed with conductive ink (PEDOT:PSS) for definition of the electrodes. A Capacitance to Digital Converter (CDC) is used to measure the capacitance of the sensors, and a graphical interface in MATLAB allows realtime visualization of data. The first prototype flexible sensors present a sensitivity of 100fF/kPa in the region of operation.

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