Patent ID: 7554045

Claim:
A linear sensor comprising electrically conductive textile fibres and electrically insulating textile fibres, said sensor comprising: at least two conductive elements having electrically conductive textile fibres and electrically insulating textile fibres spaced to separate said two electrically conductive elements when no pressure is applied to said sensor and to allow electrical conduction between said two conductive elements under the application of pressure, wherein said at least two conductive elements comprise a first conductive element having electrically conductive textile fibres extending along at least a portion of the length of said sensor; and a second conductive element having electrically conductive textile fibres extending along at least said portion of the length of said sensor, and said sensor further comprises a third conductive element extending along at least said portion of the length of said sensor, wherein said third conductive element is electrically insulated from said first and second conductive elements over said portion of the length of said sensor, and said third conductive element is electrically connected at one end to only one of said first conductive element and said second conductive element.