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Using conductive thread, Velostat and neoprene, sew your own fabric bend sensor.
This bend sensor actually reacts (decreases in resistance) to pressure, not specifically to bend. But because it is sandwiched between two layers of neoprene (rather sturdy fabric), pressure is exerted while bending, thus allowing one to measure bend (angle) via pressure. Make sense? Watch below:
So basically you could use most any pressure sensor to measure bend, but this one I find gives me the best results (sensitivity) for measuring the bend of human joints when attached to the body. It is sensitive enough to register even slight bend and has a large enough range to still get information when the limbs are fully bent.
The resistance range of this bend sensor depends a lot on the initial pressure. Ideally you have above 2M ohm resistance between both contacts when the sensor is lying flat and unattached. But this can vary, depending on how the sensor is sewn and how big the overlap of the adjacent conductive surfaces are. This is why i choose to sew the contacts as diagonal stitches of conductive thread - to minimize the overlap of conductive surface. But only the slightest bend or touch of the finger will generally bring the resistance down to a few Kilo ohm and, when fully pressured, it goes down to about 200 ohm. The sensor still detects a difference, right down to about as hard as you can press with your fingers. The range is non-linear and gets smaller as the resistance decreases.
This sensor is really very simple, easy to make and cheap compared to buying one. I've also found it to be reliable enough for my needs.
I am also selling these handmade fabric bend sensors via Etsy. Although it is much cheaper to make your own, purchasing one will help me support my prototyping and development costs >>
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5178109
This neoprene bend sensor is also featured on the CNMAT resource site, among other great possibilities for making your own bend sensors >>
http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/category/subjects/bend_sensor
To see this sensor in action have a look at the following video. The dancer has fabric bend sensors (the same as this Instructable shows) attached to her: Underarms, elbows, wrists, shoulders, hips and feet.
There is a Bluetooth module on the dancer's back that is transmitting all of the sensor information to a computer that is then triggering instruments (LEMUR's musical robots) to play. For more info visit:
http://kobakant.at/index.php?menu=2&project=4
There is another video at the end of this Instructable that shows you it in wearable action!
This bend sensor actually reacts (decreases in resistance) to pressure, not specifically to bend. But because it is sandwiched between two layers of neoprene (rather sturdy fabric), pressure is exerted while bending, thus allowing one to measure bend (angle) via pressure. Make sense? Watch below:
So basically you could use most any pressure sensor to measure bend, but this one I find gives me the best results (sensitivity) for measuring the bend of human joints when attached to the body. It is sensitive enough to register even slight bend and has a large enough range to still get information when the limbs are fully bent.
The resistance range of this bend sensor depends a lot on the initial pressure. Ideally you have above 2M ohm resistance between both contacts when the sensor is lying flat and unattached. But this can vary, depending on how the sensor is sewn and how big the overlap of the adjacent conductive surfaces are. This is why i choose to sew the contacts as diagonal stitches of conductive thread - to minimize the overlap of conductive surface. But only the slightest bend or touch of the finger will generally bring the resistance down to a few Kilo ohm and, when fully pressured, it goes down to about 200 ohm. The sensor still detects a difference, right down to about as hard as you can press with your fingers. The range is non-linear and gets smaller as the resistance decreases.
This sensor is really very simple, easy to make and cheap compared to buying one. I've also found it to be reliable enough for my needs.
I am also selling these handmade fabric bend sensors via Etsy. Although it is much cheaper to make your own, purchasing one will help me support my prototyping and development costs >>
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5178109
This neoprene bend sensor is also featured on the CNMAT resource site, among other great possibilities for making your own bend sensors >>
http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/category/subjects/bend_sensor
To see this sensor in action have a look at the following video. The dancer has fabric bend sensors (the same as this Instructable shows) attached to her: Underarms, elbows, wrists, shoulders, hips and feet.
There is a Bluetooth module on the dancer's back that is transmitting all of the sensor information to a computer that is then triggering instruments (LEMUR's musical robots) to play. For more info visit:
http://kobakant.at/index.php?menu=2&project=4
There is another video at the end of this Instructable that shows you it in wearable action!
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Signing UpStep 1Materials and Tools
MATERIALS:
The materials used for the sensor are basically cheap and off-the-shelf. There are other places that sell conductive fabrics and Velostat, but LessEMF is a convenient option for both, especially for shipping within North America.
Velostat is the brand name for the plastic bags in which sensitive electronic components are packaged in. Also called anti-static, ex-static, carbon based plastic. (So you can also cut up one of these black plastic bags if you have one at hand. But caution! Not all of them work!)
To make the sensor fully fabric one can use EeonTex conductive textile (www.eeonyx.com) instead of the plastic Velostat. Eeonyx normally only manufacture and sells its coated fabrics in minimum amounts of 100yds, but 7x10 inch (17.8x25.4 cm) samples are available free of charge and larger samples of 1 to 5 yards for a minimum fee per yard.
The exact neoprene i used for the bend sensor is:
quality: HS
thickness: 1,5 mm
both sides: nylon- / polyesterjersey (standard)
one side: grey, other side: neon green
but you can defiantly try and experiment with different qualities and thicknesses!
also with different materials. i can imagine that foam rubber and similar will work.
one good thing about the neoprene is that it has jersey fused to either side which gives it a nice feel against the skin but also makes sewing easier, as stitches otherwise rip through the plain neoprene.
- Conductive thread from www.sparkfun.com
also see http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/resource/conductive_thread
- Neoprene from www.sedochemicals.com
- Stretch conductive fabric from www.lessemf.com
also see http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/resource/stretch_conductive_fabric
- Fusible interfacing from local fabric store
- Regular sewing thread from local fabric store
- Velostat by 3M from www.lessemf.com
also see http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/resource/velostat_resistive_plastic
- Machine poppers/snaps from local fabric store
TOOLS:
- Pen and paper
- Ruler
- Fabric and paper scissors
- Iron
- Sewing needle
- Popper/snap machine (handheld or hammer and simple version)
- Possibly pliers for undoing poppers
For connecting to your computer:
I'm not going to go into detail here, because this Instructable is really more about the sensor itself and less about this connection. But if you have question just send me message.
- Arduino physical computing platform from www.sparkfun.com
- Arduino software free from www.arduino.cc
- Processing programming environment free from www.processing.org
- Crocodile clips from www.radioshack.com
- A pullup or pulldown to the ground of your Arduino, with a 10-20 K Ohm resistor
- Some wire and solder and stuff
The materials used for the sensor are basically cheap and off-the-shelf. There are other places that sell conductive fabrics and Velostat, but LessEMF is a convenient option for both, especially for shipping within North America.
Velostat is the brand name for the plastic bags in which sensitive electronic components are packaged in. Also called anti-static, ex-static, carbon based plastic. (So you can also cut up one of these black plastic bags if you have one at hand. But caution! Not all of them work!)
To make the sensor fully fabric one can use EeonTex conductive textile (www.eeonyx.com) instead of the plastic Velostat. Eeonyx normally only manufacture and sells its coated fabrics in minimum amounts of 100yds, but 7x10 inch (17.8x25.4 cm) samples are available free of charge and larger samples of 1 to 5 yards for a minimum fee per yard.
The exact neoprene i used for the bend sensor is:
quality: HS
thickness: 1,5 mm
both sides: nylon- / polyesterjersey (standard)
one side: grey, other side: neon green
but you can defiantly try and experiment with different qualities and thicknesses!
also with different materials. i can imagine that foam rubber and similar will work.
one good thing about the neoprene is that it has jersey fused to either side which gives it a nice feel against the skin but also makes sewing easier, as stitches otherwise rip through the plain neoprene.
- Conductive thread from www.sparkfun.com
also see http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/resource/conductive_thread
- Neoprene from www.sedochemicals.com
- Stretch conductive fabric from www.lessemf.com
also see http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/resource/stretch_conductive_fabric
- Fusible interfacing from local fabric store
- Regular sewing thread from local fabric store
- Velostat by 3M from www.lessemf.com
also see http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/resource/velostat_resistive_plastic
- Machine poppers/snaps from local fabric store
TOOLS:
- Pen and paper
- Ruler
- Fabric and paper scissors
- Iron
- Sewing needle
- Popper/snap machine (handheld or hammer and simple version)
- Possibly pliers for undoing poppers
For connecting to your computer:
I'm not going to go into detail here, because this Instructable is really more about the sensor itself and less about this connection. But if you have question just send me message.
- Arduino physical computing platform from www.sparkfun.com
- Arduino software free from www.arduino.cc
- Processing programming environment free from www.processing.org
- Crocodile clips from www.radioshack.com
- A pullup or pulldown to the ground of your Arduino, with a 10-20 K Ohm resistor
- Some wire and solder and stuff
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Anyway i'm certainly going to attempt and make these awsome bend sensors for a glove with the arduino that allows you to make gestures to control patterns on a laser projection system (which I own)
Thank you so much for making all this, I keep recommending your documentations to clients I have that want to build their motion capture suits.
Simply because the idea's you share are brilliant.
Thanks for both the link and response.
I will make an instructable.
Sadly I still need to learn java to master processing.
I will also certainly include references to your instructables and such when i publish about it.
I still need to find some of the parts you mentioned here too.
My hands are tingling of wanting to build it and i can't wait.
Best regards,
Pieter
I think i need a multimeter.
Huge thanks,
Susan
using conductive fabric instead of stitching with conductive thread does reduce the range of the sensor. so that it might just be acting like an on/off switch, with no analog range. you might want to try a few more layers of velostat in between. or making the conductive surfaces smaller.
hope this helps.
Thanks for your advice! I've tested it with a 9v battery and an led, it gives a great response! (although it heats up a little...) I'll fiddle with the resistors as you recommend, although i can't find the option for the internal resistor, is it in the arduino sketch or the processing sketch?
-Susan
you can set the internal pull-up in the arduino code. for analog input0:
void setup(){
digitalWrite(14, HIGH);
}
The links you posted appear broken, do you have them still.
Many thanks in advance!
i really like your work, it's awesome!
I've followed your instructables and managed to build a bend sensor which I am now trying to visualize. The site to download the code and application does not exsits though.. :( Did you move the code somewhere?
Thank you and keep u the amazing work!
Cuchara
This is just an alternative option in case you can't find the code of course.
thx
amok
http://www.youtube.com/patstarace
some more noise filtering would be nice. i normally just threshold the data (min, max) and then i at least get rid of the annoying flickering at both ends. i'm not a big programmer, but i'm sure more can be done.
you're right the decrease in resistance is not linear, it is much more sensitive to slight pressure and then becomes less sensitive the harder you press, but it still gets information in the high pressure (human finger pressure) range. still it is stable so you can/could approximate angle from it.
if you use Eeonyx's carbon fabric instead of the Velostat then you get more linear results, but this fabric is only available in large quantities.
the stretch conductive fabric that i use is really easy to order from LessEMF over the internet. they are based in NY but ship all over the world (i think). their stretch conductive fabric is not the cheapest and just went up in price to 60$/linear foot (= 30 x 110 cm). but you can also use a less expensive, non stretch, conductive fabric or probably also use conductive thread to make a good connection to the popper... or even don't use a popper at all but sew directly to something else (a perfboard for example). but stretch conductive fabric is cool.
greetings!
hannah
thanks