A Pressure Pad Sensor is an electronic device assembly that measures the forces exerted between any two objects. The Pressure Pad Sensor commonly consists of multiple sensing elements that are arrayed on or within a flexible cushion. Tactilus® is Sensor Products’, real-time technology the uses Pressure Pad Sensors to maps forces between contacting surfaces.
The Tactilus® Pressure Pad Sensor consists of a network of up to 16,384 piezoresistive elements, which operate at a maximum scan frequency of 1,000 Hertz. Tactilus® software is compatible with Windows® 8, 7 and XP. The Tactilus® software records and analyzes sensor output. It also converts complex data into easily accessible graphics.
Silviu Nemes and Marina Cionca, researchers at Transylvania University in Brasov, Romania, used a Tactilus® Pressure Pad Sensor for their work entitled, “Performance Simulation of Solid Wood Chairs.” This paper was published by Pro Ligno, www.proligno.ro, pp 47–53, Vol 10, No 1, 2014. In this work, body stresses on chairs were measured using Tactilus® Bodyfitter®. Based on the data obtained (shown below), the researchers constructed a finite-element model for their simulations.
Fig 1: Tactilus® Bodyfitter® Screenshot of pressure distribution across a seat pad width
Fig 2: Good Pressure Distribution in a Chair
Other Sensor Products Web Site Glossary terms that relate to Pressure Pad Sensor are: Body Mapping, Matrix Pressure Sensor, Tactile Pressure Sensor, and Tactile Sensor. Applications that relate to Pressure Pad Sensor include: Bed/Mattress, Body Mapping, Flex, Seating, and Solid State Switches.