Pressure mapping is the measurement and visualization of pressure and its distribution when two surfaces come into contact. The measurement is usually preformed by a high-tech, thin, flexible and semiconductor sensor.
There are many uses for pressure mapping, especially in research and development of new products in the automotives, electronics, ergonomics and even the medical field. Nowadays pressure mapping plays a vital role in the design and manufacturing of wearable producerts where comfort and fit are important. The “feel” of a product is critical in the development of items that repeatedly and frequently come into contact with the human body.
The hi-tech pressure mapping systems and tactile sensing technology are replacing live product testers and providing researchers, engineers, and product designers with quantitative and highly-accurate data on contact pressures.
There are many uses for pressure mapping in the design and manufacturing of wearable products where comfort and fit are important. The ergonomics or “feel” of a product are critical in the development of products that repeatedly and frequently come into contact with the body.
Why is Pressure Mapping Important?
There are many ways in which a pressure mapping can improve the design or even assist in innovation of new products. Pressure mapping will visually demonstrate the areas of peak pressures, helping the designers adapt the product to ensure the correct balance between fit and function.
Pressure is a key consideration for any product that requires either prolonged body contact or contact with a particularly sensitive part of the body. Integrating pressure mapping sensors into the testing and development process, can help ensure that such products won’t cause pain, injury, or agitation for the user.
There are also other uses for pressure mapping in areas that do not involve contact with the human body. Depending on the industry, pressure mapping can help optimize the performance of production machinery, improve a spray pattern or for example, ensure that newly designed tires have an optimal pressure distribution under given conditions.
What is a Pressure Mapping Sensor?
A pressure mapping sensor, also known as a tactile sensor, is an electronical device that measures real-time surface pressure distribution between two surfaces. The sensor is part of a system, that is connected to a computer or a device, which displays the collected data from sensing points in a visual form. These are then helping the user analyze the peak pressure areas and better understand the surface behavior.
There are two main types of sensors depending on the principle they work on: resistance-based or capacitance-based. A resistive sensor works by measuring changes in the resistance of a semi-conductive materials, capacitive sensor measures the changes in the gap distance between two electrodes. The pressure is then converted into electrical signals, which are processed by the electronics and then displayed on a computer.
A typical sensor system consists of a thin flexible sensor, data processing electronics and a specifically designed software. The sensor would undergo a calibration process to ensure all data are collected and displayed accurately.
Benefits of Pressure Mapping Technology
Unlike load cells, thin and flexible pressure sensors have ability to measure pressures over large areas and from large amount of pressure points
Calibrated systems provide precise data collection within the specified range
Collected data is displayed in a graphic form, enabling 2D or 3D analysis of the pressure distribution. These recordings can be analyzed in real time or saved for future reference.
The whole pressure measurement process can be repeated until the desired solution is found.
PPS PRESSURE MAPPING SYSTEM
The PPS Pressure Mapping System allows users to visualize contact pressure between the body and wearable products or support surfaces. With a PPS body pressure mapping interface, product designers and researchers alike can now quantify and visualize the “feel” of a wearable product or body supporting surface.
We create pressure sensing and visualization systems that are both highly accurate and precise to provide the feedback and measurement designers require. Additionally, the contact pressure analysis solutions we create are able to withstand the rigors of testing in both the laboratory and in the field.
We went around looking for tactile sensor technologies, but the only sensor we found that could satisfy our requirement was PPS sensor.