Patent ID: 6369804
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: G01L,G06F,H01H

Abstract:
A detector constructed from fabric having electrically conductive elements to define a first electrically conductive plane and a second electrically conductive plane, wherein said planes are configured to produce an electrical output in response to a mechanical interaction, said detector comprising:means for applying a first electrical potential across one of said planes to produce a first voltage gradient that can be used to determine the position of a mechanical interaction in a first direction by voltage measurement; means for applying a second electrical potential across one of said planes to produce a second voltage gradient that can be used to determine the position of a mechanical interaction in a second direction by voltage measurement; said first plane and said second plane having a substantially uniform conductivity except at one or more of their edges where conductivity is modified such that the conductivity of the plane overall is not uniform thus modifying said electrical output in response to said mechanical interaction by modifying the distribution of said voltage gradients; and additional conducting thread is included to effect said modified conductivity.