Advancing Strain Sensing with Electrical Impedance Tomography

Advancing Strain Sensing with Electrical Impedance Tomography
A diagram comparing EIT and grid-based sensors for strain sensing . It shows carbon-black-filled elastomer composites and real-time impedance measurements using Sciospec’s ISX-3EIT

Advancing Strain Sensing with Electrical Impedance Tomography

A recent study published in IEEE Sensors Letters titled “Exploration of Electrical Impedance Tomography and Grid-Based Soft Sensors for Distributed, Large Deformation Strain Sensing” demonstrates groundbreaking progress in stretchabale sensor technology. Researchers at Johannes Kepler University compared two innovative approaches: Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and grid-based sensors to measure strain, force, and contact locations in carbon-black-filled elastomer composites.

Crucially, this work leveraged Sciospec’s ISX-3 EIT system to achieve high-resolution, real-time impedance measurements, showcasing how advanced impedance tomography unlocks new possibilities in soft robotics, wearable health tech, and human-machine interfaces.

*Mersch, J., Hofer, A.N., Da Silva, M. Exploration of Electrical Impedance Tomography and Grid-Based Soft Sensors for Distributed, Large Deformation Strain Sensing Based on a Fiber-Elastomer Composite. IEEE Xplore (2024)  https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10499874

Innovative Approaches to High-Resolution and Flexible Stretchable Sensors

In a recent study, researchers successfully navigated the challenges of achieving both high spatial resolution and flexibility in stretchable sensors by creating two novel sensor designs: an EIT-based system and a grid-based system. The EIT system effectively utilized boundary electrodes to generate high-resolution strain maps via impedance tomography, while the grid system streamlined data acquisition but necessitated advanced multiplexing to reduce crosstalk.

The Sciospec ISX-3 EIT system played a crucial role in this research, providing a robust platform for acquiring the necessary high-quality impedance measurements that underpinned both approaches.

This highlights the Sciospec system as a pivotal enabling technology for advanced sensor development. Its capabilities offer the precision and stability necessary for capturing reliable data, ultimately bridging the gap between innovative concepts and practical applications in areas like soft robotics and wearable technology.

📌 Interested in learning more about stretchable strain sensors and their importance? Explore our FAQ section below for additional insights  

Diagram of EIT-based and grid-based stretchable strain sensors showing impedance mapping and multiplexing.
EIT-based and grid-based strain sensors for high-resolution and flexible sensing.
Heatmap showing relative resistance changes under different strain levels (0%, 20%, 30%) in a stretchable sensor.
Heatmaps illustrate resistance variations at 0%, 20%, and 30% strain, demonstrating EIT’s capability to capture detailed strain distribution.

Advantagess of EIT in Stretchable Sensor Development

The study highlights why EIT is ideal for emerging applications : 

  • Minimal Electrodes, Maximum Resolution: 16 electrodes achieved detailed strain maps, reducing wiring complexity.
  • Robustness to Deformation: Unlike rigid grids, EIT accommodates non-uniform stretching (e.g., human motion).
  • Empowering Research with EIT Technology: Sciospec provides the EIT technology that enables researchers to explore new other frontiers

🚀 Take your research to the next level with Sciospec’s high-performance EIT systems. Keep reading to learn more Or take the shortcut and directly reach out to us.

Sciospec’s Contribution: Precision Meets Flexibility

At the heart of this research lies the Sciospec ISX-3 EIT system, which is essential for achieving precise impedance measurements and supporting flexible electrode configurations.

How is this made possible?

  • Advanced impedance analysis: The ISX-3 EIT is equipped with a high-performance electrical impedance analyzer and providing unparalleled flexibility in designing injection and measurement protocols.
  • High-speed data acquisition: The system conducts impedance measurements at a frequency of 1 kHz, driven by a 20 µA current injection, ensuring dependable, real-time collection of strain data.
  • Optimized measurement efficiency: A single frame acquisition is completed in just 830 ms for the EIT setup, significantly reducing the influence of resistance relaxation effects compared to the 1600 ms needed for the grid-based approach.

In this research, the ISX-3 EIT enables resolving even subtle resistance changes in the conductive elastomer, enhancing the accuracy of strain mapping.

📌 Want to learn more about how the ISX-3 EIT system can elevate your research? Discover the ISX-3 EIT’s capabilities 

Sciospec ISX-3 EIT system, a high-performance electrical impedance analyzer for precise and flexible impedance measurements.
Sciospec ISX-3 EIT32 system, an advanced EIT device for high-precision impedance mapping and high-speed imaging.

Choosing the Right EIT System: ISX-3 vs. Dedicated EIT Machines

The Sciospec ISX-3 EIT system provides unparalleled precision and flexibility, making EIT imaging available across extremely large frequency (100 mHz – 10 MHz) and impedance ranges with unmatched accuracy. This capability is ideal for applications requiring fine-grained impedance mapping, such as material characterization and high-precision strain sensing.

However, this broad measurement range comes at the expense of frame rate. For high-speed dynamic applications—where real-time imaging at 100 fps or higher is required—Sciospec offers dedicated EIT systems that are optimized for rapid data acquisition and high-frame-rate imaging.

Use the ISX-3 EIT when: You need maximum precision, broad frequency range, and high impedance resolution for detailed material or strain analysis.
Use a dedicated EIT system when: You require high-speed imaging, such as real-time biomedical monitoring or soft robotics applications with fast deformation tracking.

🚀Not sure which system fits your needs? Contact our experts to explore the best EIT solution for your research.

Scalability with High-Performance Multiplexers

For applications requiring more measurement channels, the Sciospec ISX-3 EIT offers a highly flexible any-to-any multiplexer with 32 or 64 ports. This allows seamless expansion, making it an ideal choice for large-scale impedance measurements and high-density sensor arrays. To ensure optimal performance and reliability, Sciospec provides high-quality multiplexers that are specifically designed to work efficiently with the ISX-3 EIT. By integrating these advanced multiplexers, users can enhance measurement accuracy, streamline data acquisition, and maintain the system’s high precision across multiple channels.

📌 Discover more about scalable impedance solutions with the Sciospec ISX-3 EIT  

Sciospec ISX-3 EIT system with a multiplexer for high-density strain sensing and large-scale impedance measurements.

Why Choose the ISX-3 EIT for Advanced Strain Sensing?

The Sciospec ISX-3 EITsystem integrates Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) in one powerful platform, making it ideal for researchers and industrial users requiring both capabilities. With its high-precision impedance analysis, scalable electrode configurations, the ISX-3 EIT offers unmatched flexibility for strain sensing applications.

The Key advantages include:
High-resolution measurements – Supports up to 2048 frequencies per sweep with a 0.01% base precision for accurate impedance mapping.
Versatile electrode configurations – Compatible with 2, 3, and 4-electrode setups, allowing adaptation to various sensing requirements.
Real-time data processing – Includes Sciospec’s software suite for advanced control, visualization, and analysis

Want to dive into the ISX-3 EIT’s capabilities? Learn more about its advantages.

Sciospec ISX-3 EIT32 system combining Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) for high-precision strain sensing.
Sciospec support team ready to assist researchers with advanced EIS solutions for ion channel studies

Want to dive deeper? Talk to our experts!

Our experts are ready to help you understanding how this technology works and how you can apply and integrate it into your work. Get in touch today to get a personalized consultation to enhance your work with our advanced solutions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Stretchable strain sensors are devices designed to measure deformation or strain while being able to stretch and conform to curved or flexible surfaces. They are important because they enable new applications in wearable technology, soft robotics, healthcare monitoring, and human-machine interfaces, where traditional rigid sensors cannot be used.

 Key challenges include:

  • Achieving high sensitivity and accuracy while maintaining stretchability.
  • Minimizing the impact of the sensor on the mechanical properties of the material being measured.
  • Ensuring long-term stability and durability under repeated stretching and bending.
  • Developing cost-effective and scalable manufacturing methods.
  • Reducing signal noise from cross-talk between electrodes

Common materials include:

  • Elastomers (such as silicones and polyurethanes) to provide stretchability.
  • Conductive fillers (such as carbon black, carbon nanotubes, silver nanowires, and conductive polymers) to enable strain-dependent electrical conductivity.
  • Conductive textiles and stretchable electrodes for connecting the sensor to measurement electronics.

Spatially resolved strain sensing allows for a more detailed understanding of deformation patterns, enabling:

  • More precise control of soft robots through feedback from multiple sensing points.
  • Enhanced gesture recognition and motion tracking in wearable devices.
  • Improved monitoring of joint movement and muscle activity in healthcare applications.
  • Better understanding of the mechanical behavior of soft materials.

Grid-based soft sensors simplify data acquisition but require advanced multiplexing to reduce crosstalk. These sensors have a limited resolution. It’s also important to account for the varying properties of these sensors.

Key metrics include:

  • Sensitivity (Gauge Factor): How much the sensor’s resistance changes per unit of strain.
  • Linearity: How linear the relationship is between strain and resistance change.
  • Hysteresis: The difference in output for a given strain value depending on whether the strain is increasing or decreasing.
  • Stretchability: The maximum strain the sensor can withstand without failure.
  • Durability: The number of stretch-release cycles the sensor can endure before performance degrades.
  • Response Time: How quickly the sensor responds to changes in strain.

The Volume of Tissue Activated (VTA) refers to the region of brain tissue that is directly affected by the electrical stimulation from the DBS electrode. Accurately predicting the VTA is crucial for optimizing DBS parameters to maximize therapeutic benefits and minimize side effects.

Wearable devices require precise, real-time EDA tracking to provide meaningful insights into stress, emotions, and mental well-being. Multi-frequency impedance measurement enables: 

More accurate stress quantification in real-world settings 

Differentiation between emotional responses & external factors 

Continuous monitoring for long-term mental health applications 

💡 Sciospec’s ISX-3 is designed to support advanced impedance measurement in wearable research and stress monitoring applications. 

Step into the Future with Impedance based Advanced Strain Sensing

 

The fusion of stretchable materials and advanced impedance measurement is redefining sensor capabilities. As this study shows, Sciospec’s EIT systems are not just tools but enablers of innovation, providing the speed, precision, and flexibility needed to turn theoretical designs into real-world solutions.

Explore Further:

  • Dive into the ISX-3 EIT’s specifications.
  •  See how impedance tomography is fueling breakthroughs across various applications—check out our related articles  to dive deeper into the latest developments.

🚀 Get in touch with Sciospec today to explore how our impedance solutions can power your research. Contact us now. 

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#Innovation  #Sciospec #ImpedanceTomography #StretchableStrainSensors #Grid-BasedSoftSensors #SoftRoboticsSensors

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