Using Folding Structure to Enhance Measurement Range, Sensitivity of the Flexible Sensors: A Simple, Eco‐Friendly, and Effective Method

Abstract Flexible sensing technology has shown great application value in motion monitoring and physiological signal detection. In many applications, the detected signal has the characteristics of low strength and wide range, thus improving the sensitivity and measurement range of sensors becomes extremely important. An enhancing method based on folding structure is proposed in this paper. Through the analysis of folding structure characteristics, the theoretical model of the folding structure effect in flexible sensors is established and the enhancement effect of sensitivity and measurement range is testified through three kinds of commonly used sensors, resistive, capacitive, and inductive sensors. Through changing the number of folding units, the sensitivity and measurement range of sensors can achieve to be adjusted. Folding sensors also have good hysteresis and repeatability properties and show the great performance in the application of human motion monitoring, such as limbs bending and rotating, muscle powering. The proposed method has the characteristics of simple, economical, environment friendly, and widely suitable, meanwhile avoiding the complexity of other ways to improve performance. This work has potential to enhance the sensitivity and measurement range for more kinds of flexible sensors and is of great value to fabricate high performance sensors based on folding structure.