A Flexible Underwater Pressure Sensor Array Using a Conductive Elastomer Strain Gauge

This paper presents a flexible pressure sensor array which is demonstrated to transduce underwater pressure variations produced by moving objects and surface waves. The sensors exhibit a 0.0014 fractional resistance change per 100 Pa, achieving a high 1.5-Pa pressure resolution. The measurement has...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yaul, Frank M, Bulovic, Vladimir, Lang, Jeffrey H
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 2021
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/134284
Description
Summary:This paper presents a flexible pressure sensor array which is demonstrated to transduce underwater pressure variations produced by moving objects and surface waves. The sensors exhibit a 0.0014 fractional resistance change per 100 Pa, achieving a high 1.5-Pa pressure resolution. The measurement has a repeatability of 22% of the peak amplitude of the pressure waveform, due to creep. Additionally, sensor operation while bent to a 0.5-m radius of curvature is demonstrated. Each sensor consists of a strain-concentrating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) diaphragm and a resistive strain gauge made of a conductive carbon-black-PDMS composite. A 1-D array of four sensors with a 15-mm center-to-center spacing is fabricated, and the dynamic response of the sensors is characterized and modeled. [2011-0333] © 2012 IEEE.