Abstract:
This disclosure if directed to an improved pressure, force, and orientation sensing system, which may be applied to various industrial articles or sports equipment, fore remote performance analysis and user interface. Where applied to sports equipment, including a golf club, the sensor array of flexible and resilient piezo-resistive material permits collection of grip force data for an array of positions around and along the golf club grip handle; for the analysis, processing and communication of the data once collected, and a method of providing automated golf instruction using a force sensing golf grip of the present invention. Where applied to improved manufacturing lines and shipping of containers, force sensing packages may be equipped with the sensor arrays disclosed herein. The force sensing package is of similar shape to a standard sized package the ordinary forces on which are being tested and by the sampled force sensing package. Control and display software collects the force sensing data, and possibly other data (including motion and orientation data), and communicates it to analytics and display software remote from the device. The force sensing package is comprised of layers, at least two of the layers of which is a force sensing material and a related electrode array. Shapes disclosed are cylinders (cans), cylinders with conic portions (bottle), and parallelepipeds (boxes).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a §317 U.S. National Phase of International Application Ser. No.: PCT/CA2013/050076 filed Jan. 31, 2013, which is turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No: 61/592,632, filed Jan. 31, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No: 61/733,453, filed Dec. 5, 2012. The entire disclosure of all the above documents is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to pressure (force) mapping and orientation sensors (pressure, force and orientation sensing meters) applied to industrial articles and sports equipment, and integrated systems for remote performance analysis and user interface. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There is an opportunity to deploy pressure sensing materials in certain areas of manufacture or sports, where the handling, orientation and motion of an object may be important to overall system or user performance. Two areas of interest are the progress of goods during manufacturing and shipment, and the manner and strength by which sports equipment may be held and the resulting effect on performance. 
     Due to a market need to improve the quality and quantity of goods produced and shipped to market, various systems and methods exist to measure, store, transmit and display data related to goods during production or in shipment. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,686 issued Oct. 3, 2000 to Han and McNally for an “Impact Measuring Device for Delicate and Fragile Articles” discloses a real time data collection and transmission method which uses accelerometers embedded in devices to measure impacts. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,277, “Product Integrity Systems and Associated Methods” issued to Vock, et al., on Feb. 6, 2007, provides a movement monitor device for adhesion to industrial articles during shipment, which measures impact as well as other environmental parameters. 
     However, known devices do not currently use pressure sensing material to track and monitor the progress of goods during manufacturing or shipping. Diagnostic tools do not currently determine in a reliable way either the nature and general direction of force applied to an article or whether, where and how hard an article is contacted, during a manufacturing line or in shipping or handling. 
     There is a need for this information to help optimize the processes, and provide appropriate protection to articles. 
     Learning how to or teaching some to properly operate a piece of sports equipment is critical to performance and enjoyment of the game. In golf, learning how to or teaching some to properly swing a golf club is acknowledged as a difficult task, and enjoyment of golf by novice golfers is often impeded by inconsistent or incorrect club positioning or how the golf club is gripped. Professional golfers may be interested in more quantitative analysis of their hand position and dynamic grip pressure on a club throughout their swing for training purposes. There is also a desire to provide a quantitative basis on which fit of golf club grips for a user&#39;s natural grip may be determined. Those same principles would apply in other sports like cricket, tennis, badminton, hockey, baseball and other sports involving a club, stick, bat or racket. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,370 “Capacitative Sensor” issued to Reinbold et al. on Mar. 7, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,034 “Grip Pressure Detector Assembly”, issued to Casanova, Jr. et al., on Apr. 6, 2004, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,916 “Grip Pressure Sensor”, issued to Caldwell and Chen on Oct. 11, 2011, each discloses the general use of force sensitive gauges in sports equipment, including golf club grips to provide grip assistance. However, the inventions disclosed therein either: use non-robust threshold based sensing materials incapable of accurate pressure sensation and incapable of distinguishing where, when and how hard the user is applying pressure along the club grip or even differential measurements of pressure at multiple locations; or (in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,034) require modifications to the handle to accommodate steel strain gauges. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,219,0338 issued to Kolen on May 15, 2007, discloses electronic orientation sensors within or upon golf clubs and other objects, without any corresponding grip pressure measurements or analysis. 
     Existing tools are able to help a golfer tell whether a club is being held too tightly in a global sense, but not where it is being held too tightly, or where it might also be being held too loosely or simply inappropriately. A similar tool would be of interest in baseball, cricket, hockey, racquet sports, video game controllers and other devices where the manner in which the object is held affects performance of the user. 
     There is a need for a robust pressure sensing golf grip which obtains a plurality of pressure measurements in relation to a golf swing for improved swing coaching. 
     There is a need for a golf grip which uses flexible, state-of the art multi-touch technology in a novel way. 
     There is a need for a robust analytical tool for obtaining and interpreting data obtained from such a pressure sensing golf grip analysis by a computer implemented diagnostic tool. 
     There is a need for an improved golf club which provides this analysis within the club itself, and also a means for sending the data for processing and interpretation for the user. 
     There is a need for an analytical tool for indicating appropriate grip pressure, before and during a swing to assist golfers, and for assisting golf coaches in instructing golfers. 
     There is a need for a service which combines swing grip pressure data with other relevant data, including golf ball trajectory, golf ball location, hand speed, club speed, and other data to assist with near-real time swing analysis, learning and coaching. 
     There is a need for a meaningful way of providing the feedback information to the golfer, so that the club is gripped with the appropriate amount of pressure at the appropriate locations, throughout the swing. 
     In general, technical problems to be overcome include: chip design which permits the sensor wiring to connect to a large pressure sensor array and fit within the article being monitored; protecting the sensors without unduly compromising their performance; and providing useful user interface tools to interpret performance issues and/or trigger reliable alerts. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is for a pressure and force mapping and orientation sensing system, designed for adaption to various types of objects to be monitored, where the location, force and timing of applied contact to the objects are of importance. Two general categories of objects for which the system is described are model packaging materials (boxes, bottles, cans, etc.) and sports equipment (golf clubs, racquets, sticks, clubs, bats, video game controllers, etc.). 
     The system comprises force sensitive-materials, which can be based from resistive, conductive, semi conductive, thin or thick film (hereafter referred to as the “sensing material”), with an electrode array designed and selected for a specified application, connected to a microcontroller for communication of the data to a software analysis and user interface tool. 
     The pressure sensor array is comprised of a layer of force sensitive material, an electrode array layer and an optional spacer element/layer. Depending on the application, spacers may be provided between rows and or columns of electrodes, to increase the distance between the force sensing material layer and the electrode array layer at initial state conditions. The spacers could also be adhesive to hold the force sensing material layer in place. Other sensors for the collection of orientation, acceleration, position, temperature, etc., of the object may also be provided. 
     The pressure sensor array connects to circuitry for the transmission of data from the array to a storage and/or processing element, which may be a microcontroller. Practically, the various orientation sensors may also be connected to the same microcontroller as the pressure sensor array, are may be adapted for the application. Whereas the pressure sensors are deployed on the exterior of the object being monitored, the microcontroller (with any additional sensors) may be inside or outside the object. Where the application calls for the microcontroller to be inside the object, design limitations of the size and shape of the object must be taken into account. In such an instance, tracings connecting the sensor array and the microcontroller must fit within openings of the object, ideally within the available opening which already exist in the object. In order to cover a curved surface, the sensor array may be adhered directly to the surface of the object in numerous places. The sensor array may be formed using a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) or a collection or individual sensor strips. The microcontroller is provided with power supply, data storage and means for communicating the data to a separate device for further processing and output. The power supply may be a rechargeable battery. The means for communicating the data may be a wireless data interface (Wi-Fi™, Bluetooth™, mobile wireless infrastructure, or some other standard or non-standard wireless communications protocol) and/or a physical data interface (USB, USB 2, or some other standard or non-standard digital communications protocol). 
     The microcontroller may provide for some pre-processing of the data or may communicate raw data to a separate software analysis and user interface tool. The software analysis and user interface tool obtains the data communicated from the microcontroller and provides representation of the data for users. The data may be used to trigger alerts, interface with a game, or provide instruction to users to help improve performance. 
     Where the microcontroller uses a wireless connection, the software analysis tool may operate in real-time. The microcontroller may also be connected to onboard (i.e. on the object) output devices (audio, visual, haptic, etc.) to provide feedback or communicate other information to users. 
     The data received from the array of pressure sensors on the sensing material can be viewed as a stochastic set of matrices or vectors of impedance measurements with each element of the matrix/vector corresponding to the data from an individual sensor at a given point in time, and in which the complex impedance data is characterized by a function of force applied to the material. These characteristics are determined by the type of material and array chosen, and are known in the art. This data is communicated to one or more processors capable of interpreting for force data and translating it into a description of how the club is being held at any point in time. The location of the sensor electrode on the object determines position of the force registered at the applicable electrode. Where all sensors are individually registered, the mapping is straight forward. Where rows, columns and squares are used, a skilled user may refer to the disclosure in US 20110260994 “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE LOCATION AND PRESSURE OF A TOUCHLOAD APPLIED TO A TOUCHPAD” by Saynac et al, published Oct. 27, 2011, to map the sensor outputs to physical locations on the object. 
     Using a resistive touch technology, rather than a dielectric, as the material for the pressure sensor array enables a simpler and more durable product and requires only DC input voltage or current for operation, as the case may be. 
     Various materials may be used. For instance, a sensing material of the type disclosed in published international patent application WO 2010/122996 A1, FORCE SENSING COMPOSITIONS, DEVICES AND METHODS, by Luis Paulo Felipe Chibante, published 25 Nov. 2010, provides a flexible material from which to create the array of sensors within the golf club, which when connected to data collection circuitry, provide accurate and resilient pressure data. Various types of materials may be used: fabrics coated with various types of conductive materials; conductive foams, nanotube based polymers, carbon black based polymers, graphite doped plastics, etc, may be used as the pressure sensing material layer. 
     Data from the other sensors, if any, can be analysed to determine position, velocity, acceleration, or other characteristics of the object at any given time. In order to estimate orientation in real time using data from MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes, open source AHRS (attitude, heading, reference system) algorithms are publically available to perform these calculations. 
     Using such an array, the resistive/conductive component of the measurement strongly outweighs the capacitive elements, and in a simplified design, the resistive/conductive component of the measurement may be used alone. 
     In another aspect, herein disclosed are various examples of a novel interface and device to capture, store and process the sensor data on an object itself, through processing hardware mounted inconspicuously on or within the object. 
     In another aspect, herein disclosed are various examples of a novel interface and device to capture and transmit the sensor data from the object to a remote processing application, through communications hardware mounted inconspicuously on or within the object. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Certain embodiments will be described in relation to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a flowchart showing interconnections of electronic components. 
         FIG. 2  is one possible processing flow chart for determining how sensor data is processed and transmitted within the system. 
         FIG. 3  is an embodiment of a sensor array for a conic section of an object to which the system may be applied. 
         FIG. 4( a )  is a cross sectional side view of one example of the pressure sensing material overlaid upon a FPCB sensor array of  FIG. 3 , showing grounding without spacers.  FIG. 4( b )  is a cross sectional side view of another example of the pressure sensing material overlaid upon a FPCB sensor array of  FIG. 3 , showing spacers. 
         FIG. 5  shows top views of one embodiment of the FPCB Sensor layout of the system for use in a manufacturing line testing application. 
         FIG. 6  is diagram showing rows, columns and squares implemented on the sensor array using tracings connecting sets of sensor electrodes, with (a) showing a zoomed in portion of (b). 
         FIGS. 7 ( a ) and ( b )  are top and bottom views of a control board implementing the system. 
         FIGS. 8 ( a ) and ( b )  are a perspective views of an assembled container (can) (a) and disassembled container (can) (b) to which the packaging pressure sensor has been applied, showing the outer protective layer and pressure sensing layer peeled away. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an assembled container (bottle) to which the packaging pressure sensor has been applied, showing the outer protective layer and pressure sensing layer peeled away. 
         FIGS. 10 ( a ) and ( b )  are perspective views of an assembled container (box) (a) and unassembled container (box) (b) to which the packaging pressure sensor has been applied, showing a portion of the outer protective layer and a portion of the pressure sensing layer removed. 
         FIG. 11  is a screen shot of display software showing pressure data on different portions of the can shaped packaging pressure sensor of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 12  is a flow chart of user experience using the bottle shaped sensor of  FIG. 9  to monitor impacts on a manufacturing line. 
         FIG. 13( a )  is a top side view of a golf club fitted with an example of the sensor system as a force sensing grip with control electronics outside the club.  FIG. 13( b )  is a cross section side view of the portion of the golf club of  FIG. 13( a )  where the sensor hardware portion of the system is positioned. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross section view the handle portion of the golf club of  FIG. 13( a )  perpendicular to the shaft in the region where the sensor array is positioned showing the layers of the force sensing grip. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross section view the handle portion of the golf club of  FIG. 13( a )  along the shaft in the region where the sensor array is positioned. 
         FIG. 16  is a flow chart showing one possible method by which one diagnostic measure of the golf swing (strength balance between hands) is obtained and plotted by a software tool implementing part of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a screen shot of one graphical user interface of the system shown in  FIG. 13 , showing the pressure sensor outputs in grey scale on the left (the array used is the one shown in  FIG. 3 ) and the relative hand pressure according to the method of  FIG. 16  on the right. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a standard golf club to which a second example of the pressure mapping and orientation sensing golf grip system has been applied. 
         FIG. 19  is a partially disassembled side view of the hardware portion of the pressure mapping and orientation sensing golf grip system of  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 20  is an exploded perspective view of the fully disassembled hardware portion of the pressure mapping and orientation sensing golf grip system of  FIG. 18 . 
         FIGS. 21 ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d )  are side views of the pressure mapping and orientation sensing golf grip hardware of  FIG. 20  being assembled on a standard golf club. 
         FIG. 22  is a perspective view of the top of a golf club of the present system, showing details of example control buttons, lights and connection circuitry. 
         FIG. 23  is a screen shot of one graphical user interface of the system shown in  FIG. 19 , in which the full swing trajectory is shown, and the initial club position orientation and pressure map on the grip are displayed. 
         FIG. 24  is a screen shot of the system and swing in  FIG. 23  in which the end of the back of swing is shown. 
         FIG. 25  is a screen shot of the system and swing in  FIG. 23  in which the down swing is shown. 
         FIG. 26  is a screen shot of the system and swing in  FIG. 23  in which a close up of the estimated ball strike position is shown. 
         FIG. 27  is a screen shot of the system and swing in  FIG. 23  in which a close up of the golf club grip at the time of the estimated ball strike position in  FIG. 26 . 
         FIG. 28  is a screen shot of the system and swing in  FIG. 23  in which the end of the follow through is shown. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One or more preferred embodiments of the system will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     System Generally 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system comprises a pressure sensing array  81  connected to a microcontroller  84 , through multiplexers  82  and resistors and amplifiers  83 . Microcontroller  84  is connected to a power supply  87  through a charger  86 , other orientation sensors  85 , including a gyroscope and accelerometer, and to data transmission pathway  88 ,  89   90 , which in the embodiment shown is a wireless connection  88  using a standard Bluetooth™ protocol, to the cloud of possible Internet based transmitters, routers, mobile telephone, etc.  90 , to a remote processing and graphical user interface software on personal computing device  89 , which may be operated on any appropriate device  89  (computer, tablet, smartphone, or other user operated device having a display). 
       FIG. 2  provides a flowchart representation in which the resident hardware/software portions of the system are the object being observed, and comprise comprises the hardware to read and compress the sensor data, and possibly to perform some on chip computations based on the sensor readings before buffering the data for transmission to the non-resident software portion of the system. 
     Arrays of sensor materials of particular shapes and configurations are selected for use in particular applications (see  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 ). As an example,  FIG. 3  shows an array which may be applied to conical surface. The sensor array layer  103  as shown in  FIG. 3  is laid out flat, and is comprised of 126 sensor elements (electrode pad)  109  available to obtain pressure data for the system. Other embodiments, including where a multiplexor is used, can define sensor arrays with more or less elements, as desired. Similarly, the geometry of the array shown is simplified and there is no requirement that the sensors be in rows or columns. The control circuitry and computer processors are instructed to identify the locations of the various sensor elements as part of the design. In this instance, each electrode pad  109  acts as an individual pressure sensor which feeds into the control board via the electronics  107 . In order to facilitate computations and resistance measurements, a common electrode may be chosen (local ground), and in such an option, two large electrode strips  108 , one at either end of the array which may act as the electrical “grounding”/a common electrode for the circuits. 
     Two optional cross sectional views of the pressure sensing array layer of  FIG. 3  are shown in  FIG. 4 . This pressure sensing array layer is comprised of two primary components: a flexible array of electrodes  109  and a pressure sensitive piezo-resistive material  104 . In  FIG. 4  ( a ), the piezo-resistive material  104  is connected to grounding strips  108  by connector  111  (formed from conductive adhesives such as silver epoxy, sputter gold, etc.). The mechanism of pressure detection using the material is disclosed in WO 2010/122996 A1, FORCE SENSING COMPOSITIONS, DEVICES AND METHODS, by Luis Paulo Felipe Chibante, published 25 Nov. 2010, except that instead of the pressure sensitive piezo-resistive material and the circuit board laying on a flat planar surface, the assembly may be wrapped around the surface of the object being observed in more novel arrangements using a FPCB. The piezo-resistive material can be chosen from the set of piezo-resistive materials consisting of: nanotube based polymers, carbon black based polymers, polymers doped with conductive particles or fibres, fabrics coated in conductive materials, conductive foams, etc. In  FIG. 4 ( b ) , spacers  180  have been added to bias the piezo-resistive material  104  away from the electrodes  109 , and also to optionally act as contact adhesion or grounding points for the piezo-resistive material  104 . 
     As the force sensing material may use a common ground terminal, in the example enlarged in  FIG. 4( a ) , a ground terminal  108  is connected to ground and a sensor terminal  109  is connected to the control board (not shown) to obtain dynamic resistance (impedance) measurements. The ground terminal is created by conductive adhering connectors  111  of the outer side of the piezo-resistive material  104  to match up with the ground strips  108  on the FPCB board  103 . Then once the piezo-resistive material has been wrapped around the handle, a pressure connection is permanently formed by pressing the gold sputtered region  111  to the electrode ground strips  108 , thereby grounding the outside of the piezo-resistive material layer in the appropriate sensor areas. Other connections are possible, as known in the art. Elsewhere, at sensor terminals  109 , a high resistance connection is generally formed (not necessarily with an air gap), and the resistance between the ground terminals  108  and the sensor terminal  109  is reduced as grip pressure is increased (in accordance with the physical properties of the sensor material  104 ). 
     The layout of sensors can also be comprised of, but are not limited to, individual pads, rows and columns, or rows, columns and squares, of a typical touch screen display but implemented on the surface of the object being observed. In each case, the data from the sensors will be captured by the control board to a complete 2D pressure map for the surface covered by the sensor array at instances in time. The graphical user interface software may display the data in relation to the three dimensional object whose surface contact is under observation.  FIG. 5  shows another layout in which 256 individual sensors  503  are printed on a FPCB  500  (shown 2 parts), in which each grouping of 32 electrode pads forms a lead  504  (which is provide with a 33 pin port, for the 32 pads and ground). An area  502  of the FPCB  500  provides room to manage tracings which form the leads/connections  504 . In  FIG. 6 , the sensor electrode array  600  has spacers  601 , rows  602 , columns  603  and squares  604 , with electrodes being defined to the same row  602 , column  603  or square  604  by the traces  20  connecting them. The top row in the version shown is a common ground terminal  605 . Regions  606  are available for other spacers  601  (not shown so the traces would be visible). 
     While the object shapes may be of differing size, for which different sensor arrays and covering layers may be used, it is desirable to operate a common platform of internal control electronics a complete electronic solution for the pressure mapping and orientation sensing system. In this manner, common electronics (other than the electrode array) can be used within many different objects. The control board interfaces with a number of customized FPCB sensor array through a standard connector, and provides on-board processing and either wired or wireless transmission of the pressure data. 
     In the example shown in  FIGS. 7 ( a ) and ( b ) , the board  700  incorporates a 6-degree inertial measurement unit for full 3D spatial positioning and orientation, and may be connected to other internal or external sensors to measure other environmental parameters. The user interface for software used to graphically display the orientation of the sensor object can, in principle, be used for any shape of object being modelled by the pressure sensor array. 
     The hardware may consist of:
         Rigid PCB small enough to fit inside a golf club shaft, ( 11 )   32MX764F128H 32-bit microprocessor at 20-80 mhz, ( 707 )   256 multiplexed pressure sensor inputs, ( 704 )   Hirose FH39 33-pin connectors and ADG732 muxes, ( 705 )   12 bit ADC with high sampling rate,   8 resistor array and two op-amps for pressure input circuitry, ( 708 )   MPU6050 (3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer), ( 706 )   RN-41 Bluetooth wireless module, ( 702 ) and antenna ( 701 )   3.3V regulator allowing battery power up to 6V,   3.7V LiPo battery charger ( 709 )       

     The software may consist of:
         Firmware to read pressure sensors, motion data, and perform on-board processing within 1 ms per cycle,   Firmware to perform complex 3D motion calculations on-board,   “Processing” PC and mobile device code for interfacing with the device, customized for each application       

     This example system  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7  provides pressure-sensing capability for a wide array of unknown articles to be modeled by users. In the devices shown, an on-chip ADC is connected to 8 32×1 multiplexers providing 256 sensor inputs over 33 pin Hirose connectors; and an 8-resistor array is selected as a pull-up resistor for each ADC input. 
     This example system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7  is small in size, in order to fit into a wide array of possible objects for observation. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the board is 0.55″ wide in order to fit inside the container. If less than 8 connectors are needed the board can be cut to length from 5″ (all sensors) to approx. 2.5″ (motion only). This board fits inside any cylindrical housing with a sensor board wrapped on the outside such that the cables flex into the connectors from the top. 
     The example system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7  uses a low amount of power. At full capacity it is designed to require approx. 100 mA of power, which can last 10 hours per 1000 mAh battery. Multiple batteries can be placed in parallel as the application permits. Optionally, the board may include a charging circuit for micro-USB charging at up to 500 mA (1 hour partial, 4 hour full charge). 
     The example system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7  operates at a high sampling rate, and provide responsive output. In the devices shown, the microprocessors operate at 20-80 MHz (80 MHz default, 20 MHz reduces power to 50 mA total). Optionally, the pressure sensor data is delta-compressed, and 20 KB of on-chip memory serves as a buffer for variable rate transmission. On board firmware can be configured to send data at a faster rate, and use the buffer if necessary to send high resolution data, when triggered by external events such as high periods of motion or impact. 
     The example system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7  provides an accurate measurement of spatial positioning and orientation within tolerances of the sensors. In the devices shown, an optional 3-axis accelerometer provides acceleration up to +/−16 g at a resolution of 4 mg (configurable), and an optional 3-axis gyroscope provides angular velocity up to 2000 deg/s at a resolution of 70 mdps. In the flow diagram of  FIG. 1 , these sensors (MPU6050)  706  are read by the microprocessor  707  which updates a spatial positioning and orientation frame at 512 Hz. DMA is used to permit asynchronous computation and data transfer so a single processor is sufficient. 
     The example system of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7  communicates with a software interface usable (or configurable for use) in a number of applications. The devices shown can support configuration through a number of commands, and provide data to a host CPU when requested. Such commands include: enabling/disabling pressure and motion sensors; enabling/disabling various levels of pre-processing of data; selecting/adjusting the data rate; calibrating the sensors; etc. 
     Manufacturing and Shipping Related Applications 
       FIG. 8  through  FIG. 12  shows how the system described herein may be applied as a packaging sensor system designed to be carried through a manufacturing line (described in  FIG. 12 ), as a proxy for actual articles in the manufacturing chain which are the same shape as the packaging sensor. Examples of a can ( FIG. 8 ), bottle ( FIG. 9 ) and box ( FIG. 10 ) are shown, and the process can be generalized to regularly shaped objects, the surfaces of which can be wrapped by the FPCB pressure sensor array. The packaging sensor detects any pressure on the pressure sensing layer, as it travels in a manufacturing line, as described in  FIG. 12 , and registers any forces to which the container is subject within the tolerances of the sensors. In the examples shown, the packaging sensor is comprised of a control board stored within a cavity defined by a support layer/housing, about which a flexible sensor array of appropriate size and shape for the application is wrapped or placed. 
     For example, in  FIGS. 8 ( a ) and ( b ) , a can shaped sensor  800  is form primarily from a housing/support layer  801  and a cap  802 . Disposed about the support layer  801  is the FPCB based pressure sensor layer of which the electrode pads  804  and optional spacers  805  are visible. A layer of piezo-resistive material  803  covers the spacers  805  which bias it away from the electrode pads  804 . An optional protective layer  808  covers the pressure sensor layer. The control board  806  is disposed within a cavity of the support layer  801 , as is the battery power supply  807 . An opening  811  between the support layer  801  and the cap  802  allows leads from the electrodes  804  to connect to the control board  806 . The sensor arrays may be in either of the connection schemes shown in  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 6 , or some other scheme within the art. The control board  806  may be of the form shown in  FIG. 7 . The entire device should model or mimic (in relevant dimensions) the can normally featured within the manufacturing line for which diagnostic information is sought. The bottle  900  of  FIG. 9  and the box of  FIG. 10  are constructed in a similar fashion with analogous parts. 
     In  FIG. 9  the bottle shaped sensor  900  (the hardware portion of the system) has a support layer  901 , a cap layer  902 , electrodes  904  and spacers  905 , covered by a piezo-resistive material layer. In  FIG. 10( a )  the boxed shape sensor  1000  (the hardware portion of the system) has six sides covered with sensor arrays  1020  or electrodes, optional spacers and piezo-resistive material layer, covered by an optional protective layer  1010 . In the disassembled view in  FIG. 10( b ) , control electronics/control board  1030 , the battery  1040  and the support layer  1050  are also visible. 
     Pressure and other parameters measured by sensors are detected and may be stored for later download, or send in real-time via wireless communication (including Bluetooth™ or WIFI™) to a PC or mobile device for storage and/or analysis. In the example shown, orientation and acceleration of the object are measured using sensors connected to the board of  FIG. 7 , and the resulting data is sent wirelessly to user interface software application which interprets the data. 
     The packaging sensor implements sensor and reporting technology to assist manufacturers (including packaging companies) in identification of root cause failure as a result of high levels of side-wall pressure and accumulation pressure in the packaging lines. 
     Packaging/bottling is an important part of the food/beverage industry. Overall, the entire industry has had little advancement in monitoring accumulation pressures. Both packaging companies and suppliers alike have identified side-wall pressure monitoring as an important measurement in the factory line. The use of the technology disclosed herein is aimed to address this issue with real time wireless pressure, force and/or orientation measurement. 
     This invention can applied to current packaging lines to improve:
         1) Line set up and changeover times;   2) Line stops as a result of container or package failure;   3) Lubrication;   4) Scuffing and label integrity; and   5) Denting and cap seal failure (food safety).       

     The hardware and software used in these examples may be the same as disclosed for the general system above. 
     In one example, the packaging sensor is applied to a container for the purposes of determining location and magnitude of any pressure sufficient to dent or damage the container at particular locations. In the example of the can shaped sensor of  FIG. 8 , the full sensor array features 256 individual point sensors (shown in  FIG. 5 ). A row/column/square layout of the array may also be used in this example. The sensing area shown here is approx. 8″×5″, comprising 19×13 individual sensors grouped in 2×2 rectangular copper electrode pads.  FIG. 9  shows a bottle shaped sensor.  FIG. 10  shows a box shaped sensor. In each case, the support layer/housing creates a container within to protect the electronics, and is sized appropriately to become the same size as the items in the applicable manufacturing line once the array, pressure sensitive layer and protective layer are applied. 
     The examples use the control board of  FIG. 7 , which is approx. 5″×0.5″ in size, and has 8 32 pin sensor connectors with a ground terminal. It fits within a standard 355 ml aluminum can, and can be used for measuring impact pressure on aluminum cans or glass bottles various shapes by changing the array within the design parameters. 
       FIG. 11  shows a screen shot of the software monitoring application configured for use with the can shaped packaging sensor of  FIG. 8  or the bottle shaped packaging sensor of  FIG. 9 . Pressuring mapping on the surface of the pressure sensing array and orientation of the packaging sensor as determined by the orientation sensors on control board, are communicated to the software application, where a video clip in the middle of the screen shows a 3D representation of the orientation of the pressure sensing array and the corresponding forces in either colour or greyscale on the surface positions corresponding to the actual array positions. 
     A user of the manufacturing line monitoring system proposed would follow the simple instruction flowchart in  FIG. 12 . With the packaging sensor already connected wirelessly to monitoring software on a mobile device, the user would: 1. Place the sensor at the start of the portion of the line under review; 2. Observe real-time pressure and orientation readings on the mobile device; 3. Remove the sensor at the end of the portion of the line under review; 4. Export data to spreadsheet format; and 5. Perform additional data analysis. 
     Golf Related Embodiments 
     The first example of a golf club grip to which the system disclosed herein has been applied with external control electronics, is described in  FIG. 13  through  FIG. 17 . In this example of a force sensing golf grip, the sensor array of  FIG. 3  has been used. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 13( a ) and ( b ) , a golf club  1  is either fitted with or already provided with a golf grip assembly  100  comprised of a layered grip assembly  110  and a control board assembly  200  connected thereto below the grip external to the club. As shown in  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15 , the layered grip  110  further comprises: a handle/inner layer  101  which connects to the golf club  1  at that club shaft  106 ; a sensor layer fabricated in the embodiment shown from an electrode layout flexible printed circuit board  103  upon which piezo-resistive sensor material  104  has been connected for radial force/pressure sensing; and an outer protective layer  105  to be actually gripped by the golfer. Alternatively, there may be an existing handle on the golf club, which would act as substrate for the layered grip assembly  110  with some form of inner layer for detachable attachment to the existing club handle, or be avoided/removed altogether such that the sensor array layer  103  and sensor material layer  104  be attached directly to a custom built handle  101 . Sensor leads  107  connect the golf grip assembly  110  to a control board assembly  200 . 
       FIG. 13( b )  also shows the control board assembly  200  for control of the layered grip assembly  110 . It is comprised of the multiplexor housing  201  covering the multiplexor boards  202 , a control board housing  203 , covering control boards  204 , and mux-control cables  205  to permit communication between the array and the control board assembly  200 . The control board  204 , preferably houses a wireless module  206 , which may include but not limited to Bluetooth™, Wi-Fi™, etc., to send data to a smartphone and/or computer for further processing. In this case, the data is transmitted wirelessly from a transceiver  206  on the control board  204 , to a separate software application for further data processing and user display and interface (see  FIG. 17 ). However, data storage and a physical data connection to an external processing and user interface application may also be employed. 
     Where the array of  FIG. 3  has been used, the control board assembly  200  connects to sensor leads  107  of the flexible printed circuit board  103  at a multiplexor board  202  within a multiplexor housing  201 . This multiplexor board  202  multiplexes the plurality of signals from the sensor array layer  103 / 104  and communicates them over mux-control cables  205  to the control board  204  within the control board housing  203 . 
     In the version shown in  FIG. 5 , the bare pressure sensing array layer is comprised of two primary components: a flexible array of electrodes and pressure sensitive piezo-resistive material. As disclosed herein, other piezo-resistive materials can be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The golf grip may also be implemented using non-rectangular pads and having the electrode pads printed directly onto the handle without the use of FPCBs (or viewed alternatively, FPCBs in the shape of a handle). 
     The electronics and electrical circuits for the pressure sensing are configured from existing solutions in touch screen technology, but implemented over a curved surface with knowledge of array element locations in relation to the surface of the object being observed. 
     In a first example of the golf grip application, a software module compatible with receiving and processing grip data obtained from the golf grip assembly, allows the real time recording of all the sensors&#39; values at sample rates set by the software, on enabled mobile computing device, tablet, smartphone or computer. However, the software can be ported to any computing device or operating system, or be configured in firmware to operate on the control board itself, including without limitation, smart phones, personal computers, laptops, tablets, provided that they are ultimately provided with a data connection to the control board on the object being observed (in this case the golf club grip). 
     As presenting raw data has only so much use to the user, further processing is necessary to permit users and coaches to address problems with grip as it affects a players&#39; swing. A goal of the software module is to process the golf grip data in such a way that is most useful to the user. In one aspect, regions of the array are defined representing upper and lower hands, fingers, thumbs, pads of hands, etc. At its simplest, grip pressure in each hand may be assessed, for example, by dividing the region in which pressure is detecting into an upper and lower region, and then by averaging the upper region of the sensor values into one signal and averaging the lower region of the sensors into another signal, as shown in the flow chart of  FIG. 16 . 
     Step  1  of  FIG. 16  is reading in all sensor values from the sensor array. 
     Step  2  of  FIG. 16  proposes mapping values from the array to a matrix which the processing system recognizes as matching to true locations of each sensor on the golf club handle. 
     Step  3  of  FIG. 16  is creating a leveled histogram through min/max thresholding on the data to obtain digital ranges for further processing of the software with useful resolution. Various voltage mappings can be used to achieve this and the control board software programmed or reprogrammed to permit appropriate quantization for a given application. Steps  3  to  4  of  FIG. 16  generally occur on the control board (e.g. part  204  of  FIG. 13( a ) ). 
     Further processing may occur on or off the control board, so an intervening step may be to transmit the quantized data over the wireless network for further processing by an application layer device, like a smartphone. 
     Steps  4  through  6  of  FIG. 16  show a simplified example of an application using the data from Step  3  of  FIG. 16 . Step  4  of  FIG. 16  calculates pressure data on the top half and bottom half of the grip at a point in time. Step  5  of  FIG. 16  plots all sensor values to a pressure plot of the same shape as the laid out sensor array. Step  6  of  FIG. 16  plots the top half and the bottom half averaged pressure data over time. The data may be logged for further processing. 
     A user interface display screen shot  300  is shown in  FIG. 17 , where the two signals of hand grip pressure are plotted on a pressure versus time strip chart on the right side of the screen and point in time sensor values are plotted on the left. A plot of sensor values in grey scale  301  shows less pressure as white and more pressure as darkening grey levels at each point on the golf grip laid out as a typical quantized sensor results  302  (as outputs from Step  3  of  FIG. 16 ). Direct feedback on individual hands can be provided, as well as more individualized feedback for particular sensors as compared to a database of preferred golf grips. Data is presented as an array representing the real layout of the sensors on the grip handle at a point in time. On the right, a graph plots averaged pressure values  310  of the top pressures  311  and bottom pressures  312  obtained from Step  4  of  FIG. 16 . The screen shot  300  of the graphical user interface also shows control buttons  320 . Although the version shown is grey scale, a color display is preferable. 
     Feedback from the system of the present golf diagnostic tool may be provided at the controlling external device or by return transmission to the golf club transceiver and the activation of some on club audio, visual or haptic output. If the controlling external device is a smart phone, the phone can activate audio or haptic (i.e. vibration) to alert the golfer that something is wrong or needs to be changed. It is desirable to maintain low additions to the mass of the golf club (in particular the handle), and as such, it may be simpler and lighter to have golfer feedback from a source other than the golf grip. In furtherance of this goal, the materials used to create the hardware portion of the system may be designed with materials to have the same overall weight as the standard golf grip being replaced by the hardware system components and protective layers. 
     In the example of in  FIG. 13  through  FIG. 17 , the FPCB has been adhered to a standard golf club handle layer using known adhesives. The piezo-resistive material is held on currently by pressure from the outer layer, alone, and from pressure as may come from a simple tight tape wrapping around the gold sputtered regions on the material that is aligned with ground strip on the FPCB. As a design consideration, different peizo-resistive materials will have different minimum and maximum pressure sensing thresholds, and the grip pressure about the force sensing layer cannot exceed the maximum threshold, and is ideally near the minimum threshold. 
     Certain limitations of functionality of the first example of the golf club grip shown in described in  FIG. 13  through  FIG. 17  are addressed in the second example of the golf club grip with internal control electronics, pressure and force mapping and orientation sensing. 
     The second example of the golf grip sensor system  10  is shown applied to the golf club  1  in  FIG. 18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 19 , a golf club  1  having handle  10 , can be fitted with a system of the present invention, such that control board  11  is disposed within the club shaft  1 , and connected to the pressure sensor layer  20  by leads/connectors  23  which pass outside the club shaft  1  near the cap end  50 . Piezo-resistive material  24  covers the electrode pads  21  and the optional spacers  22 , such that the spacers bias the material  24  away from the electrodes  21 . The grip wrap  40  covers the pressure sensor layer and is of appropriate thickness. 
     In order to prevent the layers from sliding, if the grip wrapping is insufficient, the pressure sensor layer  20  may be adhered to the club shaft  1 , the optional spacers  22  may be formed directly on the FPCB with the electrode pads  21 , and the spacers  22  adhered to the piezo-resistive material  24 . 
     The grip  40  must not be too tight so as to fully compress the piezo-resistive material  24  against the electrodes  21 , lest the pressure sensors not have sufficient range of operation. 
     In order to mimic as closely as possible the look and feel of a standard club (approximately 0.9″ two inches down from the shaft for a male golfer, for instance), the outer layer  40  can be chosen such that the outer dimensions of the sensor array layer, any protective layers and the grip wrap outer layer combined are the same as a standard club grip dimensions. Alternatively, different sized outer layers may be used, and multiple clubs provided to golfers to examine the “fit of the club grips”. Swing diagnostics provided from using multiple clubs with slightly different handles provide quantitative information by which golfers can select golf club grips suited to their natural grip styles. 
     Various shapes of sensor arrays may be used. The electrode array may have the general shape of  FIG. 3 , or may employ up to 2000 electrode pads resolved into 256 distinct sets using the rows, columns and squares approach of  FIG. 6 . Each lead  23  has 33 pins, defining a common ground terminal and 32 sets of electrode to be monitored. There are 8 leads, so 256 sets of electrodes defined by the rows columns and squares which can be monitored in this approach, so as to keep the device robust but light weight. 
       FIG. 6( b )  shows a 20×100 sensor pad resolved into 256 individual sensor sets of rows, columns and squares, which may be appropriate in this application. 
     Within the tolerances of the examples shown, a PIC32 microprocessor on the control board  11  with an array of multiplexers  705  is used to read sensors and compute resistances. In the examples shown, the motion sensors are measured at approximately 500 Hz, and the pressure sensors are measured at dynamic rates between approximately 50 Hz and approximately 500 Hz based on activity on the sensors. Ranges from 0 Hz (non-sampling) to approximately 2000 Hz could be tolerated, limited primarily by the transmissions speeds for any required real time data transfer. A 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer  706  using open-source orientation algorithm are used to measure the 3-Dimensional orientation of the golf club handle in real-time during a swing. Other known chip level gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, GPS or other location and orientation mechanisms may also be deployed on the microcontroller, with or without any self-calibration tools available. 
       FIG. 20  and  FIG. 21  show how the hardware portion of the system can be assembled. At outer dimensions of 0.5″×4.5″, the control board  11  fits inside a standard golf shaft with a battery  31  and a plug  32  to keep the parts from moving during use. A FPCB  20  ( 8 ″×10″) wraps four times around the shaft, with layers of wrapping adhered together to prevent twisting during use, such that the designed array is established on the golf club handle. The FPCB defines  8  flexible leads  23  for connection to the control board  11 , an area for connector traces to be managed, and a sensor array area  26 . Pressure sensing resistive material  24  covers the FPCB for contact with the sensors, and an optional protective layer  27  covers the pressure sensor layer beneath the grip wrap  40 . Spacers  22  (shown in  FIG. 19 ) may also be used to increase the size the initial state gap of the golf grip assembly, and thereby permit the grip wrap outer layer  40  to be wrapped more tightly without exceeding the pressure thresholds of the sensors. In another alternative, the pressure sensing resistive material  24  may be adhered along certain sensor electrode regions instead of spacers to prevent slippage. Although these regions would no longer be available to act as sensors, regions of lesser interest, or those already over sampled, may be selected in the design. 
     In one alternative, the pressure sensing resistive material  24  could be proximate to the golf shaft  1  and the sensor array FBCB  20  wrapped around it. 
       FIG. 22  shows the cap end  50  with USB connection  51 , LEDs  52  and power switch  53 , all connected to the control board (not shown) beneath the cap. 
       FIG. 23  through  FIG. 28  provide screen shots of another example of the user interface software, in which the pressure map can be displayed as a high resolution image or video, and specific regions where the user&#39;s hand has applied a force can be shown as high or low pressure ranges, and suggested improvements can be displayed along with the actual trajectory measured by the orientation sensors. The output data for such a video display can be determined from pressure sensor data in numerous way limited only by permutations of the sensor array, including without limitation by: a) averaging top and bottom half into a pair of single values, one for each hand, representing a simple model of each hand&#39;s pressure in the swing; b) regions of the hand (palm, each finger) can be individually mapped and analyzed; or c) the pressure map can be analyzed as an image, have improved resolution and accuracy, and data can be extracted from the sequence of images throughout the swing. The software may map a user&#39;s hand (palm and finger locations) to the pressure map to track the pressure applied and movement of each part of the hand during the swing, which can be automatically compared to other sources or be incorporated into the swing diagnostics to provide additional information on all facets of a golf swing. 
     Software reads data transmitted from the hardware portion of the system, for post-processing, pressure map computation, 3D display of model of shaft and grip pressure to user. 
     In addition to analysing motion of the club and mapping the grip pressure, the present device can be used to analyze grip pressure during the swings of various test clubs having differently shaped or sized grips, so as to determine on the basis of quantitative metrics, the most appropriate fit of golf club grips or other golf equipment for a player. 
     The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of manufacturing lines and sports equipment swung or held by a user (bats, racquets, video game controllers, etc.). Also, the description of the embodiments of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims, and many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.