Highly Reliable Magnetic-Based Pressure Sensor Utilizing Simple Microstructured PDMS: Mechanical and Design Analysis via Finite Element Analysis

Pressure sensors have been integral in the development of biomedical industry and health monitoring devices. Their versatility in applications as well as their simple, straightforward mechanisms have led to massive production of pressure sensors which are typically based on the electrical properties of the active materials. This, however, introduces some risks in the sensors’ reliability due to difficulties in maintaining the materials’ uniformity. To address this issue, a unique magnetic-based pressure sensor is fabricated utilizing a planar Hall resistive (PHR) sensor, a magnet and simple microstructured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layers fabricated via 3D printed molds. The stability of the magnetic sensor and its incredibly small hysteresis value ensure high reproducibility. Furthermore, the PDMS layers are further fine-tuned and their deformation analyzed using finite element method. This analysis offers insight into the mechanism of PDMS compression as well as provide clues on further improvisations of the pressure sensor. The successful integration of the magnetic-based pressure sensor into health monitoring processes such as pulse monitoring, respiration and phonetic recognition also promises its wide expanse of possibilities as a wearable diagnostic device.