In this work an ink-jet printed sensor for measuring surface deformations is presented. The printed conductive traces of the sensor are arranged in a Cartesian grid and contacted on their respective terminals. This allows for measurements of surface deformations in a defined area with less electrical interconnections, as compared to a realization with conventional strain gauge sensors.

The traces change their electrical conductivity due to mechanical strain. These conductivity changes cause a change of the electric potential at the sensor contacts. Using knowledge of the grid geometry and the measured electrical potentials the mechanical deformation can be determined. This method allows for easy detection of structural faults and deformations of surfaces.

Keywords: 2D stain gauge sensor, inverse problem, fault detection, sensor

December 6^th, 2016