Interlink Electronics FSR 400 Series - Manual (Page 8)

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6
FSR
®
Integration Guide
Custom Pressure Sensitive Snap Dome
In applications requiring tactile feedback, such as buttons in consumer electronics, the
usual method is to use a metallic snap dome. Adding force measurement with an FSR
can enhance this basic switch function. The dome and FSR are built together into one
sensor. Force can be measured both pre- and post-snap. This enables analog control
functions such as zoom, scroll, volume, etc. In addition, these pressure sensitive domes
can be put into arrays. In the example pictured below, the FSR snap dome array replaces
the 4-way thumb navigation area of a smart phone to add 4-way directional control,
circular scrolling, and pressure sensing functionality.
Force Sensing Linear Pots
The manufacturing technology of FSRs also lends itself to the creation of various position
sensors. Interlink has expertise in building, designing, and manufacturing several types,
including: linear strips, arcs, full rings, and resistive touchpads. All of these position
sensors may also be used to measure applied force.
Linear potentiometer strips are three wire devices that can measure position and
pressure of touch. These are useful in man and machine interfaces, such as slider
controls. They are also useful in machine control, for example to measure the position of
a plunger in a vial or tank or some position in a motion control system. These sensors
can be custom made between 4mm and 450mm wide and as long as 550mm. More
information regarding linear pots can be found in Force Sensing Linear Potentiometer
(FSLP) Integration Guide.
A Hardware Development Kit is
also available for the FSLP.
FSLP
Standard