Development of a planar shear sensor

This paper describes a wearable sensor that simultaneously measures both shear and orthogonal force. The planar shear sensor is based on inductive coupling between a small target and a series of adjacent coils. Lateral movement of the target changes the coupling between a primary coil and a series of geometrically shaped and scaled sense coils. Design of the sensor and methods for calibration are investigated. The wearable sensor can be used for measurement of in-situ foot loading during ambulation and we postulate that this may be useful for biomechanical analysis including exoskeletons and balance rehabilitation applications.