Application examples

Technical specifications

Product					TouchStrip sensor
Version					1.3 (2008)
Sensing parameter					contact pressure or force
Sensing method					zero-travel sensitive resistor
Active area					609 x 5.0 mm (24.0 x 0.10 inch)
Range					approx. 0.2 KPa (2 g/cm2, 0.01 PSI) to 981 KPa (10.0 Kg/cm2, 142 PSI) or approx. 0.6 N (60 g, 0.13 lb) to 98 N (10 Kg, 22 lb), evenly applied across active area
Repeatability					5% (max) for one sensor, 25% (max) across multiple sensors
Response time					1 to 2 ms (mechanical)
Output resistance					more than 100 KOhm (at 0 N) to 200 Ohm (at 98 N) in parallel with 47 KOhm
Calibration (force applied evenly across active area)
N			Kg	lb	Voltage (use 5 V power supply)	7-bit MIDI value (use 'no processing' editor preset)
0			0	0	0.00	0
98			10	22	5.00	127
Calibration (force applied per unit of active area)
KPa				PSI	Voltage (use 5 V power supply)	7-bit MIDI value (use 'no processing' editor preset)
0				0	0.00	0
32				4.7	5.00	127
Power supply					1.0 to 10 V DC, 0.1 mA at 5 V
Sensor dimensions					640 x 15 x 0.5 mm (25.2 x 0.59 x 0.02 inch)
Weight					15 g (0.5 oz), incl. cable
Cable					1.0 m (39 inch), shielded, red wire = power, black wire = ground, white wire = sensor output, maximum extension 30 m (98 ft)
Connector					male plug with 3 pins in a row spaced 2.54 mm (0.100 inch)
Software support					The following standalone software can be executed with the runtime version of the Max software development environment (Windows / MacOS): Max v5: TouchSensors patch v1.0 (includes source code)
Application notes					Please note that calibration of the sensor requires careful attention to detail since they behave differently near the extremes of the usable range. The sensor behaves as a force sensor within the specified range but may not behave like a force sensor beyond this range. It is merely documented as a saturation effect above the range, meaning that sensitivity changes with force, and as a threshold effect below the range, which behaviour may be hard to repeat or even random. To obtain reliable results, the force has to applied evenly across the active surface area of the sensor. Using a finger to calibrate or to measure how much force you exert is very unreliable unless you at least use a flat rigid object between the finger and the sensor. If the sensor shows a non-zero value when no force is applied, flatten the sensor between two flat objects for a few days. Any bending of the sensor may result in a non-zero at-rest value. Store sensor in flat position for best results. Using adhesive to attach the sensor may result in a non-zero value when no force is applied The sensor can be cut to desired length (width cannot be changed).