Introduction: Homemade Stretchsensors for Robotic Apps, Made From Conducting Foam.
I used conducting foam, as used for the static protection of electronic components, as inputsensors to drive servo's. In this case I used 2 servo's but it's possible to use more. The Arduino sketch is the one that comes with the Arduino compiler (servo-knob) but the code is doubled for , in this case, 2 servo's and sensors.
As an original stretch sensor will cost 19 Euro's, you can save lots of money making them yourself in this way.

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4 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
This is amazing! this has soo many real-life applications, too bad its not really an instructable but a show off... maybe a step-by-step process would have been even more amazing... good job renaissanceman! kudos
11 years ago on Introduction
Cool thing, please show how you made the sensors.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Hi Mischka,
I cut off a strip from a piece of conducting foam , stripped 2 wires and taped the wires on either side of the strip. If you stretch or comprime the foam you'll measure a difference in resistance which is the analog input for the arduino.
(btw: the foam is used by electronic component transport and manufaturing to prevent building up of static, maybe you can get some ata Radio-shack store. I got mine from a pcb case I use for my job.)
Have fun !
Kees
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thanks for your description.