flex sensors sensitivity

[sarahm]

Hello,

I would like to send a signal when an object (long, plank-like) is 'bent' to a certain point (trying to help athletes get instant feedback on how they are interacting with their equipment). The problem is that point is somewhere around a 5 degree bend. I've done some googling on flex sensors and they all seem to be reliable somewhere past the 10 degree mark. Any ideas of where I could find a flex /bend sensor with enough sensitivity? Or do I have to use a more expensive option (and if so, what?)

Thanks,
Sarah

 

[astronomerroyal]

Couldn't you use some sort of mechanical amplification? The tip of your plank may move only 2cms for a 5degree flex, but that 2cm, when applied to flex sensor's tip, will bend the sensor by a huge angle, provided the flex sensor is much shorter than the plank.

 

[sarahm]

Hi astronomerroyal , and thanks for the reply - it made me think!

not exactly sure what sort of mechanical amplifier I could use in my case - but - to give more details - I'm trying to give feedback to a skier when a ski is 'flexed' to a certain point while skiing. A 160 cm ski, for instance, does not deflect much more than 5 or 10 cm when fully flexed (it does vary largely between different types of skis with different types of stiffness - but on average). So the 'beam' in my case is basically forming an arc - with a constant (small) angle. Is there a mechanical amplifier that would work in this case?