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The Open Automation and Control Systems Journal, 2014, 6, 1491-1497 1491
1874-4443/14 2014 Bentham Open
Open Access
Research on the Model of Pressure Sensor used in PNS Based on Micro Jet
3DP
Li Na
1,2,*
, Yang Jiquan
1,2
, Cheng Jihong
1,2
and Qian Weixing
2
1
Jiangsu key laboratory of 3D printing equipment and manufacturing, Nanjing, 210042, China
2
School of Electrical and Automation Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210042, China
Abstract: In this paper, a low cost, printable pressure sensor model is presented. The pressure sensor could be used in
personal navigation system which was designed based on micro jet fabrication structure. Micro jet printing and line
patterning methods have been used to fabricate polymer resistors and field effect transistors on flexible substrates. A
prototype sensor was designed, and the models of mechanical structure and digital fabrication was also given, fabricated
and tested with standard experimental measurements. Results verify that the pressure sensitivity can be measured for both
frequency and minimum power level difference in good performance. The dynamic performance of pressure sensor was
also tested by micro jet printing on to flexible substrates including paper, with high resolution in just seconds. General
structure of our proposed printable pressure sensor is detailed in the next section. Some resistors in pressure sensor were
divided into two parts getting high sensitivity. The flexible spots and the elastic models for wearing substrate were given.
In the experiment the flexibility, sensitivity and dynamic performance were tested which were in acceptable level.
Keywords: Three dimension print (3DP), Direct digital manufacturing (DDM), Printable sensor, Personal navigation system,
Elastic model
1. INTRODUCTION
Research on MEMS pressure sensor has been
concentrating in integration of sensing within the substrate
for PNS (Personal Navigation System). The main goal is to
get low cost, printable sensing capabilities. The benefit
would be enhanced product quality, storage, transport and
safety through ubiquitous sensing. A number of research
groups have resulted in various printable sensor or actuator
designs such as [1, 2] line based sensor (ii) pattern based (iii)
R2R based etc. Fabrication progress makes it possible to
produce more chipper sensor in large area with low
requirement on substrate [3, 4].
Pressure is one of most important physical parameters of
measurement device such as navigation device for directing,
electronic products for sensing, undersea vehicles [3]
avoiding collisions with moving object, and so on. So the
pressure sensors are used in many fields to better our lives. It
became smaller in volume and higher in resolution. What we
want to do is to design the printable sensor on to soft
substrate, like coats,shoes, paper and plastic. Moreover,
the printable sensor is flexible and able to fit inside various
structures [5, 6].
General structure of our proposed printable pressure
sensor is detailed in the next section. Some resistors in
pressure
*Address correspondence to this author at the Jiangsu key laboratory of 3D
printing equipment and manufacturing, Nanjing, 210042, China;
Tel: +86-13915954296; E-mail: 52171894@qq.com
sensor were divided into two parts getting high sensitivity.
The flexible spots and the elastic models for wearing
substrate were given. In the experiment the flexibility,
sensitivity and dynamic performance were tested.
2. STRUCTURE OF THE PRINTABLE PRESSURE
SENSOR
In PNS (personal navigation system) the pressure sensor
can give the height of the person wearing the device. The
position on or under the bridge can be recognized by the
device. The main component of the pressure sensor is the
Wheatstone bridge architecture. The pressure on the thin
film reflects on the change of the resistors. The PEDOT/PSS
is used for micro jet printing to prototype the device [7-9],
and the ink is polymer solution [10]. The circuit of pressure
sensor is shown in Fig. (1).
The relationship between electric field and the stress can
be described by the following equations: