It might be easier to describe the application, rather than trying to describe the sensor.

Imagine a flexible device, like a gooseneck lamp that is flexed into a specific position.  A sensor, or array of sensors attached to it, where it can be determined relative to a 'home' sensor, how far the object is out of wack from the home.  So its a relative sensing application because the home sensor may be at any initial angle, its the remaining sensors that are of real interest.  Its really an alignment sensor, that will allow feedback to an operator to adjust until it is in full alignment based on that home reading.

I was initially thinking about some sort of resistive element that when it was straight, it would read a value and as it was bent one way or another, the impedance would change thus giving a relative change.  Feeding that into a PIC would then drive either an array of LEDs or maybe a LCD or serial output for the feedback.

Although this is an initial investigation that will drive building a prototype, if it works out they will want to move into a production so exotic and elaborate one-off type approaches will not be accepted by them.

Any thoughts?  I've looked into force sensors, thought about accelometers but it needs to be thin and plyable enough to attach and move as the object moves.


      
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