Are you wondering what a Force Sensing Resistor is?
Simply put, an FSR is a variable resistor whose resistance varies as pressure is applied and removed. You may see Force Sensing Resistors also referred to as ‘Force Sensors’ or ‘Force Sensitive Resistors’. As force, pressure or mechanical stress is applied to the sensor, the resistance lowers and it returns to its original value when the pressure is removed.
The FSR will respond to the applied force and convert that value to a quantity that can be measured by the chosen output.
Take a look at the diagram to see the basic construction of an FSR:
Just a few of the applications which use FSRs are electronic musical instruments, mobile phones, digital cameras, touchpads, gaming devices, GPS units, hospital beds and countless other electronic devices.
A very helpful and informative publication by one of our suppliers is Interlink Electronics’ FSR Integration Guide which shares a detailed look at FSRs.
Take a look at some examples of the Force Sensing Resistors - Force Sensors carried by Digi-key.
Force Sensing Resistor - Touch Sensors