Force Sensitive Resistor

Overview

FSRs are sensors that allow you to detect physical pressure, squeezing and weight. They are simple to use and low cost. This is a photo of an FSR, specifically the Interlink 402 model. The 1/2" diameter round part is the sensitive bit.

The FSR is made of 2 layers seperated by a spacer. The more one presses, the more of those Active Element dots touch the semiconductor and that makes the resistance go down.

FSR's are basically a resistor that changes its resistive value (in ohms Ω) depending on how much its pressed. These sensors are fairly low cost, and easy to use but they're rarely accurate. They also vary some from sensor to sensor perhaps 10%. So basically when you use FSR's you should only expect to get ranges of response. While FSRs can detect weight, they're a bad choice for detecting exactly how many pounds of weight are on them.

However, for most touch-sensitive applications like "has this been squeezed or pushed and about how much" they're a good deal for the money!