Effects of Sensor Size, Surface Material, and Contact Area on Pressure Measurements in Thin-Film Pressure Sensors

The existing studies on foot pressure measurement have primarily focused on sensor placement and the number of sensors instead of sensor size and the ground above the sensor; moreover, there is limited research available on the use of different materials in pressure measurement devices manufactured by various companies. This study, therefore, aimed to address these gaps by investigating the measurement accuracy in standard loading conditions, considering different sensor sizes, contact areas, and ground surfaces. Pressure was applied within the sensing diameter of the sensor, and a microcontroller was used to calculate the reciprocal resistance. The results of the study indicated that the coating of sensors with different materials and the shape of the contact surface of the object applying pressure significantly influenced the measurements of the pressure sensors. When comparing the difference according to the sensor sizes, medium-size sensor (18.3 mm); according to surfaces, thin–thick plastazote; according to loading conditions, oval contact areas gave more sensitive values. Future research can further build upon these findings to enhance the design and development of pressure measurement devices, ultimately benefiting scientific research and clinical applications.