Application examples

Technical specifications

Product					TouchMicro-05 sensor
Version					1.2 (2006)
Sensing parameter					contact pressure or force
Sensing technology					zero-travel force sensitive resistor
Active area					5 mm (0.2 inch) diameter disk
Range					approx. 10 KPa (0.10 Kg/cm2, 1.5 PSI) to 981 KPa (10.0 Kg/cm2, 142 PSI) or approx. 0.2 N (20 g, 0.04 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
0.98			0.10	0.22	2.36	60
9.8			1.0	2.2	4.61	117
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
49.6				7.20	2.36	60
496				72.0	4.61	117
4964				7200	5.00	127
Power supply					1.0 to 10 V DC, 0.1 mA at 5 V
Operating temperature					-20 to 100 °C (-4 to 212 °F)
Dimensions					8 mm (0.3 inch) diameter x 0.5 mm (0.02 inch) thick disk
Mounting					adhesive disk
Cable					1.0 m (39 inch), shielded, red wire = power, black wire = ground, white wire = sensor output, extendable at least 100 m (328 ft) with ExtendCableD-10
Connector					male 1x4 plug with 3 pins in a row spaced 2.54 mm (0.100 inch)
Weight					15 g (0.5 oz), incl. cable
Software support					Our SensePlay software is a very easy way to quickly map sensor data to (sequences of) sounds, images and videos using a drag & drop user interface. Our EditorX software allows you to configure the digitizer to process and map the sensor data of multiple sensors simultaneously. Our Link software allows you to receive the sensor data from the digitizer and use your computer to view, calibrate, record, process and map the sensor data of multiple sensors simultaneously. Our SensorX software allows you to receive the sensor data from the digitizer and use your computer to view, calibrate, record, process and map the data of a single sensor. 08 Dec 2010: TouchSensors v1.11 for MacOS and Windows from source code in Max.
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 be 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