FEATURE SENSORS & SENSING SYSTEMS
Pressure mapping technology was originally developed to help medical professionals prevent pressure ulcers in patients either confined to a bed or
wheelchair. As knowledge of the technology has grown, however, so have the applications. Tony Rokins, pressure sensing specialist at Interface Force Measurements, explains the principles behind pressure mapping and looks at the applications
DESIGN UNDER PRESSURE P
ressure mapping systems measure differential pressure between two
surfaces and generally comprise a number of sensors embedded in a suitable substrate, depending on the application under test and visualisation software. The technology offers the possibility to easily measure, record and display pressure distribution and contact between two surfaces. Alongside applications in the medical industry, it is commonly used in automotive for testing seat designs as well as looking at the interface between tyres and the road. Another area of growing interest is
wearable technology. Whether it’s to ensure that clothing fits correctly or headphones are comfortable, the ability for the pressure sensors to be integrated into flexible and conformable materials makes all this possible for design engineers.
MEASURING PSYCHOMOTOR SKILLS In one application example, David Byfield at the University of South Wales was looking to improve the manipulative skills of chiropractic students at the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic. So, he tested the use of a flexible pressure sensor mapping system with related software to measure and record key manipulative psychomotor skills (force and time) commonly introduced in undergraduate chiropractic degree programmes. In the study, an XSensor X3 Pro Package pressure mapping system was selected. Using the high pressure sensor flexible mat technology, the system comprised a sensor array of 64 x 64 = 4,096 individual sensing elements in a 40cm x 40cm pressure field, with a pressure range of 1-80psi. With the software displaying an optional second calibration range of 10-200 psi, it provided the ability to measure a wide range of manipulative procedures for all areas of the spine. The system measured various
biomechanical parameters in different measurement units such as average pressure, peak pressure and contact area, and ran two or more sensor pads of the same or alternative specification simultaneously. It was flexible enough to
18 NOVEMBER 2016 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
measure various manipulative parameters at the patient/ practitioner interface as well as simultaneously recording full body forces generated by the practitioner. The study tested the use of the pressure pad directly on subjects in various postures, providing a real clinical setting to determine how this may impact on psychomotor skill delivery. The results, which were presented at
the 13th Biennial Congress of the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC), showed that the flexible pressure pad and ballistic gel system can simulate a clinical setting and discern key specific psychomotor parameters related to manipulation (i.e. preload force, peak force, speed of thrust, hand dominance) between students and chiropractors with varying levels of experience. The findings appear to be in accordance
with the literature to date and supports their inclusion in an educational setting as a feedback tool to quantitatively measure and track psychomotor manual skills development. This would be in addition to existing qualitative parameters to ensure acquisition and motor skill progression. Phase II will be to pilot the system as a training, assessment and feedback tool at UG level.
AUTOMOTIVE AND AEROSPACE USE The automotive and aerospace industries are also benefitting from pressure mapping. Automotive and aerospace seating has become ever
Dr David Byfield and the XSensor pressure measurement system on a therapy couch
XSensor seat pressure measuring system
more sophisticated in recent times, with manufacturers offering increasing options as customers demand more comfort and safety. This makes it critical that seating engineers understand what impact any changes in seating design has on passenger comfort and safety. Pressure Mapping has therefore
become an invaluable tool in assisting and speeding up the development of new and existing seating designs. The LX sensors from XSensor are ideal for testing seat designs, ingress/egress testing and quality control. Studies have shown that the sensors are highly accurate due to high repeatability, low hysteresis, and low creep characteristics. High resolution pressure sensors are also
used for tyre research, with users relying on the sensors to generate clear tyre tread images for understanding performance and analysing tread profiles. Other high pressure applications include fuel cell R&D and disk clutch design and performance.
A VERSATILE TECHNOLOGY Pressure mapping is becoming more popular throughout industry as design and test engineers come to appreciate its versatility and the accuracy of results. From its origins in the medical market, systems have now become more sophisticated and have therefore widened the scope through industry.
Interface Force Measurements T: 01344 776666
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