Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Stephanie Jo Rodgers-Ahnen

James David Holbery

John Guido Atkins Weiss

Aric Ahkeel Fitz-Coy

Christian Moller

Christian Juland Moller

Embroidered sensor assemblies are described that are formed on a flexible substrate, such as a suitable fabric material. The embroidered sensors can be configured as a pattern of wires that enable measurement of strain based on positional relationships between nodes formed by the pattern of wires. As a pipe or other object flexes, the positional relationships are altered and can be detected to facilitate computation of strain. Strain can be deduced at each individual node, which can then be used to create a strain profile or map for the object.

Embroidered sensor assembly

Embroidered sensor assemblies are described that are formed on a flexible substrate, such as a suitable fabric material. Conductive patterns are embroidered into the flexible substrate to form an array of sensors that can be configured in various ways and used in many different applications. A sensor assembly can implement touch sensitive sensors arranged to recognize input by measuring capacitance. The sensor assembly can also implement pressure and/or force sensitive controls for an input device, such as a keyboard. Other types of sensing are also contemplated such as detection of proximity, motion, flow, gestures, and/or strain. A conductive pattern can be formed in a single layer of material and/or via a single continuous run of conductive material. The embroidered sensor assembly is flexible and therefore can be shaped to conform to various different kinds of objects and form 'smart' surfaces for those objects.

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Carnation, WA, United States of America

Stephanie Jo Rodgers-Ahnen