What Are FlexiForce Sensors

What are FlexiForce Sensors?

Sponsored by Tekscan, Inc. Nov 15 2021
Efficiency is Vital on the Integration Journey

As the “drivers” of innovation, engineers are dependent on their instincts and experience to
make key choices on their design journey.
However, the choices made early in the design process can have a significant impact,
especially when incorporating sensing technologies, like FlexiForce™ sensors, into their
design.
While each journey a device takes, from concept to completion, is unique, there are six
main phases to sensor integration that act as checkpoints en route to finalization:
1. Sensor characterization
2. Proof-of-concept
3. Prototyping
4. Field testing
5. Final embedded device
6. Transfer to production
This article offers a real-world description of a design team that experienced these six
stages when integrating a FlexiForce sensor into a smart, compact, electronic device.
Please pay attention to the choices made and lessons learned through the integration
process, as they provide key navigation insights into the design journey.
What are Flexiforce Sensors?

FlexiForce tactile force sensors are ultra-thin and flexible printed circuits, which can be
integrated easily into force measurement applications. They are typically used to measure
the force between any two surfaces.
FlexiForce sensors are perfect for OEM products due to Tekscan’s capacity to customize
for an application’s particular needs:
Geometry: FlexiForce sensors can be designed in various shapes and sizes to meet
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any application and product’s exact needs.

Ink technology: Tekscan supplies three pressure-sensitive ink variations: standard,
enhanced and high temperature.
Integration support: Tekscan’s team of mechanical, electrical and application
engineers possess vast experience assisting design engineers in helping them realize
successful product integration
Benefits of a Flexiforce Sensor

In an electrical circuit, FlexiForce sensors serve as a force sensing resistor. When the force
sensor is unloaded, its resistance is extremely high. When force is applied to the sensor,
this resistance is reduced. Any changes in resistance can be customized depending on
application requirements.
Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.
Thin & Flexible

Paper-thin construction
Unobtrusive; can be embedded in small spaces
Durable
High temperature options available (up to 204 °C)
Works in most operating environments
Low Power
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More energy efficient than other alternatives

Only simple electronics needed
Variety
Customizable solutions
Various standard sensor sizes are available
Device Summary:
When developing a next-generation, automated, wearable, drug-delivery pump, a design
team faced the challenge of incorporating a method to monitor potential blockages that
could take place within the pump’s delivery system.
This demanded a force-sensing technology that could not only sense any corresponding
expansions within the device but also be able to fit in an extremely tight form factor within a
small pump and not lead to any significant burden issues on the device’s battery life.
After conducting the necessary research, the design team discovered FlexiForce sensors, a
thin, piezoresistive force-sensing technology that provides a flexible form factor to fit into
wafer-thin spaces.
The team acquired FlexiForce sensors from Tekscan’s online store – taking their first step
into the sensor integration process.
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Phase 1: Sensor Characterization

The Sensor Characterization Design phase is a key process when determining and
understanding the basic functionality of the sensor technology – in this case, FlexiForce
sensors.
This is a critical element of the integration process as it provides engineers and designers
with the following information and data:
A foundational understanding of sensor function in an ideal, controlled loading

environment
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Quantifiable data on sensor interface configurations (interfacing materials, circuits,

etc.)
A topline understanding of sensor linearity, drift, hysteresis and repeatability via pre-
programmed loading profiles
An introduction to sensor calibration via the correlation of sensor output to known
loads.
Throughout this phase, engineers and designers seek to answer the following questions:
What is the fundamental performance of a FlexiForce sensor?

How does a FlexiForce sensor perform with the circuits and material interfaces that
are being considered for the application?
The engineers required a sensor characterization schematic. However, rather than

constructing a loading fixture and producing circuits from scratch to streamline this process,
they instead turned to the FlexiForce Sensor Characterization Kit (Figure 1).
The Kit includes:
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Four (4) FlexiForce A301 sensors

Open-source software
A linear actuator loading fixture
A 454 g (1 lb.) load cell, positioned below the loading platform of the fixture
Three (3) analog circuit modules, including:
Voltage divider
Inverting op-amp circuit
Non-inverting op-amp circuit
The engineers started by loading the FlexiForce sensor to the circuit and applying the
anticipated force and frequency to the sensor. They then observed the raw sensor output
from the Microview interface.
To their amazement, the team discovered that the sensor output varied across the various
circuit types and also when loading with various interfacing materials. After several rounds
of testing, the decision was made to go with a voltage divider (Figure 2).
A calibrated load cell is incorporated into the loading fixture of the FlexiForce Sensor
Characterization Kit, offering an experimental control for comparison against FlexiForce
sensor output.
This is a key element to characterization, as it gives users the capability of understanding

the sensor’s capacity and performance under known loads. This data will prove invaluable
in later design phases, as it supplies a known baseline for performance that can be a
reference guide when troubleshooting or debugging.
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Figure 1. The FlexiForce Sensor Characterization Kit. Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.
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Figure 2. The FlexiForce Characterization Kit allows for interchangeable analog circuit
modules, such as the Voltage Divider shown here. Inverting and non-inverting op-amp
circuit modules are also included with the kit. Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.
Phase 2: Proof-of-Concept
After characterizing sensor performance and establishing the desired circuit and interface
materials, the Proof-of-Concept phase is where engineers and designers establish the
application feasibility of their sensor configuration.
Throughout this phase, engineers and designers have to decide whether it is possible to
capture the intended measurement successfully with the FlexiForce sensor and the
electrical/mechanical configuration chosen in a “one-off” representative mock-up of the
application.
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The planned use of the FlexiForce sensor in this application was occlusion detection in an
insulin pump.
The design team prepared a concept with the FlexiForce sensor positioned below a plastic
tube (Figure 3), similar to the material that would be incorporated into the final design. With
the assistance of the FlexiForce Prototyping Kit (Figure 4), the engineers could, in effect,
test the sensor in their concept using:
A voltage divider analog circuit module that they selected during the characterization
phase
A polycarbonate load concentrator
Open-source software, which allowed the designers to monitor live force feedback
Yet, the design team soon realized that the current reference voltage of the circuit was not
supplying enough sensitivity to obtain a robust measurement of the occlusion event.
However, it was relatively easy to adjust the reference voltage from 0.5 V to 1.0 V utilizing
the jumper on the board of the FlexiForce Prototyping Kit.
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This increase in reference voltage gave the increased sensitivity and resolution to
accurately capture occlusion in the tube. After further testing, the team established that the
polycarbonate concentrator was also not delivering the desired output, so they opted for a
stainless steel substrate for their concentrator.
Now that the concept was proven, the team was ready to proceed to the next design phase.
Figure 3. Proof-of-concept schematic. Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.
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Figure 4. The FlexiForce Prototyping Kit. Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.
Phase 3: Prototyping
The Prototyping phase is the initial build of a product or device with the sensor embedded
once it has been established that the sensor will function under the parameters and loading
profiles tested in the Proof-of-Concept.
This can become an iterative process where numerous prototypes are tested – often
referred to as alpha- and beta-prototypes – that enable the engineer to analyze a device’s
performance at different build sophistications.
Throughout this phase, engineers and designers have the following questions to answer:
What calibration of the sensor is needed for my application?

How am I going to accommodate for sensor-to-sensor variation?
Can I reliably capture the desired measurement with the FlexiForce sensor embedded
in a working device prototype?
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The Alpha Prototype was made up of the infusion pump’s housing, the fluid delivery tube,
the embedded sensor and the voltage divider analog circuit module utilized throughout the
Characterization and Proof-of-Concept phases.
With the linearity of the circuit selected during the Sensor Characterization phase, and the
modifications made in the Proof-of-Concept phase, the design team developed a simple
two-point calibration procedure with the assistance of the FlexiForce Prototyping Kit.
The team went back to the FlexiForce Characterization Kit loading fixture to apply known
loads to the sensor and the interface materials selected for calibration. From that point, the
engineers could test performance by passing fluid through the tube and observing feedback
in a separate board display.
The team was able to troubleshoot any unforeseen performance issues with their
benchmark data as they had characterized the sensor and proved concept with the same
circuitry and material configuration in previous phases.
Once the team was happy with the Alpha Prototype’s sensor performance, they assembled
a Beta Prototype with the same housing and tube, as well as the other HMI components
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planned for the design (digital screen, dials, buttons, etc.).
This version of the prototype also included the first rendering of the printed circuit board
(PCB) for the application. For the sensor interface circuit of the PCB, the team used the
open-source circuit diagrams and layouts of the analog circuit modules to make sure the
same type of circuit was included in their PCB.
They also integrated adjustable reference voltage via a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to
accommodate any sensor-to-sensor variation.
While completing the alpha prototype, the team observed that the sensor’s data output was
not stable. The sensor output was not repeatable given the presumed constant, cycled load
applied to the sensor.
The team returned and compared the data obtained in the alpha prototype to the
repeatability data captured for the same sensor and same circuit in the loading fixture of the
FlexiForce Characterization Kit.
By monitoring and evaluating the data captured during the repeatability test in
characterization, the team was confident that the sensor would produce a repeatable output
with their repeatable load. Subsequently, the team turned towards the construction of the
tubing in the prototype to determine whether it was supplying consistent load to the sensor.
They established that the tubing was configured in such a way that it could move off the
sensor slightly when in use, which was the probable cause of the erratic data that they were
seeing.
The team adjusted the assembly that held the tubing in place so that it would remain in
contact with the sensor, finalized the prototype and presented it to product management for
final approval.
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Figure 5. Prototype schematic for integrating the sensor. Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.
Phase 4: Application & Field Testing

The Application & Field Testing phase necessitates fabricating multiple prototypes to test
their performance, longevity and repeatability. The objective of this phase is to prove
whether a design will carry out its required function in the field across the expected lifetime
of the product.
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For some particular products, including medical devices, this is often the phase where the
product design is put forward for any third-party approvals. Throughout this phase,
engineers and designers are looking to answer the following questions:
Does field deployment call for additional design considerations not accounted for in
previous phases?
Does the selected material/electronics configuration operate as expected through the
anticipated life of the product in the field?
The design team designed ten infusion pump prototypes and sent them to ten different
users for a six-week period. After the testing was completed, it was apparent that the force
sensors in three out of the ten prototypes were not effectively detecting occlusion. Initially,
they presumed that the sensor was at fault.
Upon subsequent review, the sensors met expectations when the prototypes were returned
to the lab for testing. In reality, the design team established that the adhesive used for
keeping the sensor in place on the pump was not performing well in humid conditions and
was influencing sensor performance.
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After an additional round of field testing with a new adhesive, the force sensor performed
well across all prototypes. Had the design team not found the time to characterize and fully
evaluate the sensor early in the process, it is possible that they would have overlooked this
seemingly minor but crucial mechanical error.
Phases 5 and 6: Final Embedded Design and Transfer to

Production
Phases 5 and 6 work in partnership with one another, with some slight differences. As its
name suggests, the Final Embedded Design phase is the documentation of final design
specifications that will be communicated for mass production.
These specifications are inclusive of calibration/recalibration routines, sensitivity adjustment

and other variables. It is critical to think about how these design specifications can be
carried out as efficiently as possible in mass production.
Finally, the Transfer to Production phase is the production process for the mass population
of consumers or end-users.
In the majority of cases, this phase concludes the integration process, but there is always
the possibility that design challenges may occur in this final phase that may necessitate a
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return to one of the earlier stages to rectify the issue.
Since the infusion pump was a medical device, comprehensive documentation of each step
of the manufacturing process was vital. The design team worked in close collaboration with
the manufacturing department to answer for all of the critical nuances of the sensor
integration process and to ensure these steps could be repeated for the mass population of
users.
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Conclusion
Sometimes, the fastest way to market with an integrated device may at first seem slow, but
the benefits are returned in several ways. As this design story described, the team made
the decision not to take any shortcuts through the integration process, which proved
invaluable when any unforeseen challenges arose.
Before proceeding into proof-of-concept and prototyping, the design team thoroughly tested
the FlexiForce sensor technology with various circuitry, interface materials, adhesive
methods and other possible variables.
Since the team had a baseline knowledge of sensor performance that was acquired early in
the Characterization phase, they could answer for any sensor variations, whereas
designers who skip this step may erroneously dismiss the technology as a poor fit.
To sum up, by using FlexiForce’s OEM Development Products, the design team were in the
position to effectively answer the key, important questions from concept to market:
What is the FlexiForce sensor’s fundamental performance?
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How does a FlexiForce sensor perform with the circuits and material interfaces we are
considering for any given application?
Can I successfully capture my measurement as desired with the FlexiForce sensor
and the electrical/mechanical configuration I have chosen in a “one-off” test that is
representative of the application?
How am I going to calibrate the sensor for my application?
How am I going to accommodate for sensor-to-sensor variation?
Can I capture the desired measurement with the FlexiForce sensor embedded in a
working device prototype reliably?
Does deployment in the field call for design considerations that were not accounted
for in prototyping?
Does the selected material/electronics configuration operate as expected through the
anticipated life of the product in the field?
How Tekscan can be of Help in the Integration Journey

FlexiForce Sensor Characterization Kit
Phases Served: Phase 1
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The Characterization Kit allows engineers and designers to acquire a baseline

understanding of FlexiForce sensor performance in a controlled loading environment prior
to proof-of-concept or prototyping phases.
This saves the engineer time on constructing a testing fixture and building/debugging
circuits.
The FlexiForce Sensor Characterization Kit includes:
Desktop loading fixture with a load cell (available in 1 lb and 5 lb options)

Three interchangeable circuit modules featuring Tekscan’s recommended circuits
Voltage divider
Inverting op-amp
Non-inverting op-amp
Pre-programmed loading profiles in an open-source software program

Linearity
Hysteresis
Drift
Repeatability
(4) FlexiForce A301 sensors

A301-1 (for 1 lb option)
FlexiForce Prototyping Kit

Phases Served: Phases 2, 3 and 4
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After sensor characterization, the Prototyping Kit is a basic plug-and-play unit for engineers
to test their desired circuit module(s), make sensitivity adjustments easily and have
increased confidence in how the FlexiForce sensor will perform in their final design.
The open-source nature of this kit means that field-testing and final embedding are more
effective and efficient.
The FlexiForce Prototyping Kit includes:
An Arduino Nano Chip USB interface prototyping board

Three interchangeable circuit modules featuring Tekscan’s recommended circuits
Voltage divider
Inverting op-amp
Non-inverting op-amp
Sensitivity adjustment
Data collection/calibration software
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(4) FlexiForce A301 sensors

Put FlexiForce Sensors to Work

Now is the time to think about how incorporating force sensing technology into your
products will give you a competitive edge. There are four questions that should be
answered before establishing a process:
What force sensing technology can effectively and economically be integrated into my
product design?
What mechanical or electrical requirements or obstacles may impact my choice of
force sensing technology?
Does my product require capturing force within a specific sensitivity range?
Is my choice of force sensor backed with a support group of expert engineers
experienced in embedding force sensing technology?
Whether it’s a standard FlexiForce sensor or a custom design, Tekscan has a track record
proven to help design engineers accomplish high-value products with force sensing
technology. The user’s return on investment comes in the form of confidence in the product
design, a reduced development process time and an enhanced end-user experience.
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This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by
Tekscan, Inc.
For more information on this source, please visit Tekscan, Inc.
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Tekscan, Inc.
Address
307 West First Street

South Boston
MA, 02127
United States
Phone: +1617464 4500
Fax: +1617464 4266
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What Are FlexiForce Sensors

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What Are FlexiForce Sensors

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What are FlexiForce Sensors?

What are FlexiForce Sensors?

Efficiency is Vital on the Integration Journey

What are Flexiforce Sensors?

any application and product’s exact needs.

Benefits of a Flexiforce Sensor

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Thin & Flexible

More energy efficient than other alternatives

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Phase 1: Sensor Characterization

A foundational understanding of sensor function in an ideal, controlled loading

Quantifiable data on sensor interface configurations (interfacing materials, circuits,

What is the fundamental performance of a FlexiForce sensor?

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

The engineers required a sensor characterization schematic. However, rather than

The Kit includes:

Four (4) FlexiForce A301 sensors

This is a key element to characterization, as it gives users the capability of understanding

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Figure 3. Proof-of-concept schematic. Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Figure 4. The FlexiForce Prototyping Kit. Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

What calibration of the sensor is needed for my application?

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

planned for the design (digital screen, dials, buttons, etc.).

Phase 4: Application & Field Testing

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Phases 5 and 6: Final Embedded Design and Transfer to

These specifications are inclusive of calibration/recalibration routines, sensitivity adjustment

return to one of the earlier stages to rectify the issue.

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

What is the FlexiForce sensor’s fundamental performance?

How Tekscan can be of Help in the Integration Journey

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

The Characterization Kit allows engineers and designers to acquire a baseline

The FlexiForce Sensor Characterization Kit includes:

Desktop loading fixture with a load cell (available in 1 lb and 5 lb options)

Pre-programmed loading profiles in an open-source software program

(4) FlexiForce A301 sensors

FlexiForce Prototyping Kit

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

The FlexiForce Prototyping Kit includes:

An Arduino Nano Chip USB interface prototyping board

(4) FlexiForce A301 sensors

Put FlexiForce Sensors to Work

Image Credit: Tekscan, Inc.

For more information on this source, please visit Tekscan, Inc.

307 West First Street

Phone: +1617464 4500

Fax: +1617464 4266

Mar 22 2022 3:05pm

Gain unmatched insight into athletes' biomechanics and 

Mar 22 2022 10:53am

The FlexiForce™? sensor is a paper-thin, flexible sensor by Tekscan. 

Mar 15 2022 10:09am

View all tweets

Tekscan: your trusted technology partner.

Quality - Tekscan, Inc. is committed to quality. Sensor design, manufacturing, and

Company Growth - Tekscan has experienced continued growth. While we are a US

We have a solution for you.

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