Dynamic pressure sensors made using piezoresistive E-fabrics

January 31, 2011 - United States Of America

Eeonyx Corporation announced the development and availability of specialty engineered conductive fabrics with pressure sensing (piezoresistive) properties for commercial and industrial markets.

Previous Eeonyx developments include engineered electrically conductive fabrics (E-Fabrics), sold under the EeonTex™ name, for anti-static applications, such as in electronic industry clean rooms and engineered conductive fabrics with radar absorbing properties for military low radar cross-section antennas, or fabrics used in resistive heaters.

The new piezoresistive EeonTex™ fabrics are currently used in commercial pressure-sensing devices with rapidly growing applications in the sports and medical industry. EeonTex™ Testing is underway in robotics, musical instruments, educational devices, safety devices, weapons training, games and toys etc..

Currently used pressure sensors are based on capacitors or piezoresistive films loaded with conductive particles. Piezoresistive EeonTex™ fabrics come with following clear cut advantages over existing pressure sensing technologies.

1. Very fast dynamic response/recovery. EeonTex™ can be scanned at up to 400 times per second (i.e., 400 Hz). Other devises typically show significant delay in response (a few seconds) due to hysteresis (slow recovery) of the elastic material.
2. Simple sensor design consisting of thin fabric layer.
3. Stretchable and pliable fabric that can comply with complex 3d surfaces.
4. Cost effective and highly reliable pressure sensory devices.
5. Easy customization to customer specifications on fabric conductivity, weight, thickness, stretch etc.
6. Excellent long term stability to mechanical abrasion, humidity, high temperature and UV radiation.