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Rodolphe Koehly+33 457 396 875McGill: [email protected] [email protected]: [email protected] Pagora LGP2 : Dr. Denis CurtilSuperviseur McGill University MusicTech: Pr. Marcelo WanderleySuperviseur McGill University PPRC: Pr. Theodorus van de Ven

Building novel Digital Music Instruments (DMIs) [15] orother controllers for Human Computer Interface requires

the use of a variety of sensors to transduce human actions to electronicsignals that will control sound synthesis variables. Among them, contact(force) sensors such as the Force Sensing Resistors (FSR) from InterlinkElectronics [6] are the most commonly used in the design of DMIs [13].FSRs [3] are composed of conductive materials placed between twoelectrodes: compressing the sensor generates shortcuts inside the materialthat will decrease the sensor’s resistance. Similar commercial sensordesigns based on conductive materials also enable to detect position,displacement or flexion. Unfortunately, although commercial sensors canbe easily found at electronic resellers, only a few standardised models withpredefined sizes, shapes and electric characteristics can be purchased.Moreover, the quality of the sensor appears to depend on their shape anddimension. These limitations have direct implications on the design of novelDMIs, which actually need to be adapted to the existing offer of commercialsensors.Instead of having to choose between limited solutions of sizes and shapes,we imagined that it would be more interesting for a designer to start fromraw materials and to design their own sensors. The primary objective of thisresearch is therefore to explore ways to design novel contact sensors usingmaterials with specific electrical properties. It involves the study of thestructure and composition of existing industrial contact sensors and theresearch on new materials with convenient electrical properties that can beused for developing custom-made contact sensors. After various

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Development of new raw materialsfor the production of CustomContact Sensors: A focus onCellulose Paper as Sensitive andElectronic Substrate

Background

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investigations with polymers [8], textiles [16], adhesives and glues, wefinally chose to focus on conductive paper as a generic material forproducingsustainable, flexibleand customisablecontact sensors.

Among the myriad of options regardingconductive materials, polymers proved

to be interesting materials for building contact (position) sensors [8]. Infact, position sensors, such as Robert Moog's Ribbon Controller andlinear position sensors using videotape or conductive fabric [15] havebeen proposed for many years.One can also produce conductive materials by mixing polymers such assilicone or latex with conductive materials, such as those proposed byHaken et al [5] and by McElligott et al [14]. More recently, Scilingo et al[16] developed traction sensors for tracking the position of bodyarticulations, while Freed [4] suggested ways to build various positionand pressure sensors using thin flexible conductive sheets made ofpolymers or textiles.It is also possible to produce conductive inks [11], enabling the printingof conductive surfaces onto paper or textiles for the design of positionor flexion sensors [8]. For instance, Coelho et al [1] proposed the use ofcellulose by sandwiching conductive inks and other sensors into twosheets of wet insulating paper.Finally, conductive paper can be especially interesting for the design ofpaper FSRs [10] and preliminary experiments showed that conductive

Rodolphe Koehly

Figure 1: An exemple of Pressure Sensor made ofconductive and resistive paper

Current State of The Art

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papers were very sensitive to pressure variation and, depending on theirdesign, could be used as pressure, position or flexion sensors. UnlikeCoelho et al, we will use conductive paper as the main materials for buildingsensors, not as a substrate to contain other sensing materials.

We began by studying the potential of building papercontact sensors using industrial paper. This type of paper

is originally produced to provide optimal colour properties (homogeneity,stability) and is not optimised for use as a conductive material.Nevertheless, it has been shown that it provides a very efficient choice forthe design of custom sensors [9]. Several sensor prototypes were builtusing samples of four industrial papers from three main manufacturers(ArjoWiggins, Fabriano, and PASCO Manufacturers) and have been usedin the design of various gestural controllers [7] [12]. We then developed aspecial test machine that enabled us to characterise the sensor’s propertiesin terms of repeatability, drift and hysteresis and to compare the results withcommercial sensors.

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Chemical processes

Paper physics

Printing processes

environment engineeering

Papermaking and

Converting Biomaterials

Packaging

Methodology

Figure 2: Comparison between 3 types of resistive cellulose paper (carbon-black loaded) and 5 industrial sensors from Interlink Electronics andTekscan.



The next step will be to consider how to produce such a paper.Laboratory experiments will be performed to evaluate the chemicals tobe added to optimise the retention and formation of a uniform mix ofpigments and fibres [17] [2]. Papers with various amounts of pigmentand different sheet structures will be made and characterised in order toevaluate the influence of the paper characteristics onto their electricalresistance. We will equally study the optimisation of the sheet’sformation using laboratory handsheet machines, selecting specificchemicals to be added for optimised results. Finally, in collaboration withGrenoble-INP, a stock of conductive paper will be produced using alaboratory on-line paper making machine. This paper will be madeavailable to the community and will present an alternative productenabling to build one’s own contact sensors.

Rodolphe Koehly

Table 1 Comparison between a commercial sensors and two resistive paper made withlaboratory handsheets: depending on the type of raw materials, their concentration andthe sheet making process, one can build papers that will show better (paper 1) or lessinteresting (paper 2) electrical response to load variations in terms of range and hystérésis.

Table 2 Comparison between a commercial sensors and two resistive paper made withlaboratory handsheets: most resistive papers made in our laboratory provide sensitivematerials that are less sensitive to electrical drift, as shown with Lab. Paper 1 and 2 vsan Interlink FSR.


This research will contribute to the promotionof alternative solutions for the development of

contact sensors. It will provide an in-depth review of the various possibilitiesto create conductive materials and to use them in the design of novelcontact (force and position) sensors. In particular, it will show thatconductive paper and inks are an ecological and inexpensive alternative toconducting polymers for producing custom contact sensors. Finally, it willprovide the instrument design community with optimised conductive paperfor the use in the design of novel DMIs.

Paper sensors can replace industrial sensors in manyapplications, as they are equally efficient. Moreover they

are recyclable or reusable, inexpensive, flexible and customisable, thereforeextending the capabilities of industrial solutions. The production of such apaper will provide researchers with raw materials to produce their ownsensors and realise new DMIs. Apart from their usefulness in acquiringexpert musical gestures, paper sensors have potential applications in manyother fields such as medical (e.g. as hospital bed sheet), security (e.g.sensitive floors), intelligent packaging, etc.Multi-disciplinary research is a profitable way for creating new technologicaloutputs. Conductive paper can provide new ways of building DMIs atmoderate cost and with an environmental-friendly label. Music and Arts canin return offer an efficient and sensitive proof-of-work to convince industriesthat conductive papers have a major potential in other applications.

[1] Coelho, M., Hall, L., Berzowska, J. and Maes, P. 2007. “Pulp-BasedComputing: A Framework for Building Computers Out of Paper.”, Inproceedings the 9th International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing(Ubicomp '07). (Innsbruck, Austria, 2007)

[2] Eklund, D. and Lindström, T. 1991. “Paper Chemistry: An Introduction.”DT Paper Science Publications, Grankulla, Finland, 1991.

[3] Tekscan Inc. 2005. “Flexiforce user manual.” Revised version 23/09/05.


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Original Contributions

References



Available at: HYPERLINK"http://www.tekscan.com/flexiforce/flexiforce.html"http://www.tekscan.com/flexiforce/flexiforce.html, accessed on Jan 26,2010.

[4] Freed A. 2008. “Application of new Fiber and Malleable Materials forAgile Development of Augmented Instruments and Controllers.” InProceedings of the 2008 International Conference on New interfacesfor Musical Expression (NIME’08) pp. 107-112.

[5] Haken, L., Fitz, K., Tellmann, E., Wolfe, P. and Christensen. P. 1997“A Continuous Music Keyboard Controlling Polyphonic Morphing UsingBandwidth Enhanced Oscillators.” In Proceedings of the 1997International Computer Music Conference, pp. 375-378.

[6] Interlink Electronics. 2005. “FSR - Force Sensing Resistor 400 seriesIntegration Guide and Evaluation Parts Catalog.” Version 1.0, RevisionD.

[11] Lieber, S. and Bogenez, A. 2004. “Les encres conductrices”, Centred'Etudes et de Ressources des Industries Graphiques, mai 2004.Available at:http://cerig.efpg.inpg.fr/memoire/2004/encres-conductrices.htm, acc. onJan 26, 2010.

[12] Malloch, J., and Wanderley, M. M. 2007. “The T-Stick: From MusicalInterface to Musical Instrument.” In Proceedings of the 2007International Conference on New interfaces for Musical Expression(NIME’07), pp. 66-69.

[13] Marshall, M. T. 2009. “Physical Interface Design for Digital MusicalInstruments.” Ph.D. Thesis, McGill University.

[14] McElligott, L., Dixon, M., Fernström, Richardson, B. and Leydon, K.2002. “ForSeFIELDS: Force Sensors for Interactive Environments.” InProceedings of UBIComp02, pp 168-176.

Rodolphe Koehly


[15] Miranda, E. R. and Wanderley, M. M. 2006. New Digital MusicalInstruments: Control and Interaction Beyond the Keyboard. Middleton, WI:A-R Editions.

[16] Scilingo, E. P., Lorrussi, F., Mazzoldi, A. and De Rossi, D. 2003 “StrainSensing Fabrics for Wearable Kinaesthetic-like Systems.” IEEE SensorsJournal, Vol. 3, pp. 460- 467.

[17] Scott, W.E. 1996. Principles of Wet End Chemistry, TAPPI PRESS,Atlanta, 1996.

[7] Jensenius, A. R., R. Koehly and M. M. Wanderley. 2005. “Building Low-Cost Music Controllers.” In Proceedings of the 2005 Computer MusicModeling and Retrieval Conference, pp. 123-129.

[8] Koehly, R. 2005. “Study of Various Technologies for Home-madeSensors.” Masters Thesis. Master ICA-AST 2004-2005, INP-Grenoble,France.

[9] Koehly, R., Curtil, D. and Wanderley, M. M. 2006. “Paper FSRs andLatex/Fabric Traction Sensors: Methods for the Development of Home-Made Touch Sensors.” In Proceedings of the International Conference onNew Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME’06), pp. 230-233.

[10] Koehly, R., Curtil, D., van de Ven, T. and Wanderley, M. M. 2007.“Carbon Black Loaded Paper : An intelligent Substrate for ElectronicSensors Design .” In Proceedings of the IARIGAI 2007 Conference,Grenoble, France, (Also Advances in Printing and Media Technology vol.34, pp.285-292.

[18] Koehly, R., Curtil, D., van de Ven, T. and Wanderley, M. M. 2010.“Development Kit for the fabrication of resistive based contact sensors usinginexpensive, environmental-friendly and fully customisable raw materials.”


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Publications



To appear In Proceedings of the International Conference on NewInterfaces for Musical Expression (NIME’10)

Interlink Electronics is the major manufacturer of FSRs but othercompanies such as Tekscan Inc. [3] build equivalent sensors.Such a paper can be purchased at art shops in the form of black papersheets.This work has been performed in collaboration with the Pulp and PaperResearch Centre at McGill and the Laboratoire du Génie des ProcédésPapetiers at the Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG),France.

Rodolphe Koehly


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