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Start by separating drift, noise and hysteresis
A flexible sensor reading can change for several different reasons. Applying one correction to every changing value usually makes the measurement less trustworthy, because each behavior requires a different test and remedy.
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Drift
Drift is a slow change in sensor output or measurement-system characteristics that is not explained by the quantity being measured. A baseline that moves while the applied force or strain is held constant is a drift symptom. Temperature and humidity changes, aging, sustained loading, material changes, mounting, and electronics can all contribute. The IEEE 2700 framework provides general sensor-performance terminology, units, conditions and limits, although its listed sensor types do not specifically include flexible strain or force sensors: IEEE 2700-2017.
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Noise is sample-to-sample variation around an otherwise stable value. It may appear as jitter on a live graph while the long-term average remains steady. Noise and drift can occur together: filtering may reduce jitter while leaving a moving baseline untouched.
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Hysteresis
Hysteresis means that the output depends on loading history. At the same applied strain, a sensor can report one value while loading and another while unloading. A sensor that returns slowly after a load is removed can also show recovery effects. Hysteresis must be measured with a defined load-and-release sequence rather than inferred from a single calibration point.
Temperature response and creep
Temperature can change output even when the target force or strain is constant. Creep is a time-dependent change under sustained load; it can occur in the sensing material, between a gage and its carrier, or between the carrier and the measured member. These are physical behaviors, not simply software bugs.
| Observed behavior | Useful first test | Likely direction of investigation |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline moves slowly at a fixed input | Log output, temperature and humidity with no intentional input change | Thermal response, creep, aging, mounting or electronics drift |
| Values jump from sample to sample | Hold the input steady and inspect short-term variation | Electrical interference, inadequate resolution, unstable contacts or excessive bandwidth |
| Loading and unloading produce different curves | Repeat the same load and release cycle | Hysteresis, viscoelasticity, fixture compliance or load-rate effects |
| Output changes after installation or cable movement | Keep the input fixed while moving only the cable or fixture | Strain transfer through the attachment, cable forces or mechanical slip |
| Reading changes when ambient conditions change | Repeat a fixed-input test while recording temperature and humidity | Environmental sensitivity and insufficient compensation |
Use a diagnostic workflow before changing software
A short, controlled test plan is more informative than repeatedly changing filter settings. Keep the raw data and record the conditions for every run.
- Record a stable-input baseline. Apply no intentional change to the measured force or strain. Log the sensor output over a period long enough to reveal the slow movement you are seeing. Record power-up time, temperature, humidity, fixture state and cable position alongside the sensor channel.
- Run a repeatability sequence. Apply the same loading sequence several times, using a defined loading rate, peak value, dwell time and release step. Compare the traces cycle by cycle instead of comparing only their final averages.
- Change one condition at a time. Check whether the output follows temperature, humidity, sustained load, flexing, loading direction, cable movement or time since power-up. A correlation is a diagnostic clue, not proof of causation; confirm it with a repeat run.
- Separate baseline movement from cycle error. A drifting zero with similar cycle shapes suggests a baseline or environmental issue. Different loading and unloading paths suggest hysteresis. High-frequency scatter with a stable mean suggests noise.
- Document the measurement chain. Write down the sensor version, attachment method, preload, fixture materials, orientation, cable route, excitation or supply settings, sampling rate and any digital processing. Reproducibility depends on these details.
This workflow is intended to identify the dominant behavior for your setup; it does not assume that one cause dominates all flexible sensors.
Stabilize the mechanical setup
The measured system includes the sensor and everything that transfers force or strain to it. A flexible element can respond to unintended bending, wrinkling, shear, fixture movement or cable tension.
- Make attachment repeatable. Use the same bonding, clamping or carrier method for every calibration and measurement. Record adhesive, carrier and surface-preparation details because changes can alter strain transfer.
- Control orientation and active area. Align the sensing direction with the intended strain or force path. Keep the active area positioned consistently; small shifts can change the local stress distribution.
- Define preload and zeroing. If the sensor requires a preload, apply it the same way every time and state whether zero is taken before or after preload. Do not assume that a software zero removes mechanical history.
- Reduce fixture compliance. Flexing supports, loose fasteners and soft interfaces can become part of the measured response. Check the fixture separately where possible and keep its geometry fixed.
- Route cables so they do not load the sensor. Secure the cable near the fixture while leaving the intended sensing region free to move. Test cable movement independently by holding the input constant and moving the cable in a controlled way.
- Control the environment. Avoid drafts, direct heat sources and changing contact with surfaces. For comparative tests, allow the sensor and fixture to reach the same environmental condition before collecting data.
- Define the load cycle. For dynamic or cyclic work, specify loading rate, maximum strain or force, dwell periods and the number of conditioning cycles. A result without its load history is difficult to reproduce.
The NIST-hosted strain-gage handbook discusses creep between a gage and its carrier and between the carrier and the measured member, illustrating why installation and materials must be treated as measurement variables: NIST-hosted handbook.
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Condition and calibrate the exact sensor
Follow the documentation for the particular sensor construction and electronics. Flexible force sensors, stretchable resistive strain sensors, capacitive elements and optical devices do not share one universal conditioning or calibration procedure.
Conditioning reduces history-dependent changes
Some sensors change their response during the first loading and unloading cycles. The FlexiForce manufacturer manual describes exercising or conditioning the sensor to reduce response changes from repeated loading and unloading. Use the number, amplitude and timing specified for the exact sensor version rather than copying a routine from another model.
Calibrate at the operating temperature
Tekscan’s FlexiForce manual states: “To ensure accuracy, calibrate the sensor at the temperature at which it will be used.” This is a product-family recommendation, not a universal calibration rule for every flexible sensor. The manual is available at the FlexiForce documentation page. If the application spans a temperature range, perform calibration or characterization at representative points across that range and use only a compensation model that has been independently validated.
Use a defined calibration input
Apply known force or strain through the same fixture and loading direction used in operation. Include the intended working range, not only one convenient point. Keep the calibration sequence, dwell time and approach direction consistent so that hysteresis and creep are visible in the recorded data.
Characterize stretchable resistive strain sensors with a repeatable method
IEC 63203-401-1:2023, published October 9, 2023, specifies a tensile-strain measurement method for stretchable resistive strain sensors. It includes procedures for gauge factor, linearity, response characteristics and hysteresis. The IEC page lists a stability date of 2028.
What the IEC method covers
- Gauge factor: relate the normalized resistance change to applied strain under the defined test conditions.
- Linearity: evaluate how closely the response follows the chosen reference relationship over the tested range.
- Response characteristics: record how output follows the applied strain, including the chosen dynamic conditions.
- Hysteresis: compare output during loading and release using a documented definition and cycle.
For a hysteresis test, the procedure stretches the sensor to a target strain and then releases it toward the initial state while recording resistance and strain. Use a repeatable sequence, report the target and rate, and preserve the raw loading and unloading traces. The standard is for sensor measurement characteristics; it is not a method for evaluating material properties such as elastic modulus, elastic limit or Poisson’s ratio.
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Report the usable range and recovery
A high gauge factor is not automatically better if the sensor becomes nonlinear, slow to recover or unstable near the required strain. Record the usable strain range, recovery behavior, cycle history, environmental condition, attachment method and compatibility with the measurement electronics together with the four IEC characteristics.
Handle temperature effects deliberately
Temperature compensation can be mechanical, electrical, algorithmic or a combination. First establish the temperature response of the complete installed sensor, not just the bare sensing element.
A NIST-hosted handbook describes a full Wheatstone bridge in which common dimensional changes in four gages caused by ambient-temperature changes can cancel electrically. That example applies to a particular strain-gage arrangement; it is not a universal solution for flexible sensors with different geometries, materials or bridge completion.
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- Allow the assembly to equilibrate before calibration points are recorded.
- Repeat fixed-input measurements at the temperatures expected in use.
- Only apply a temperature correction after checking that the relationship is repeatable and does not remove genuine temperature-dependent changes in the measurand.
Reduce electrical noise without hiding the signal
Before filtering, verify the electrical measurement itself. Use stable excitation or supply settings, secure contacts and a sampling rate appropriate to the fastest change that matters. Keep sensor and reference wiring consistent between calibration and operation, and check whether cable motion or nearby equipment changes the reading while the mechanical input is fixed.
Inspect raw samples as well as processed values. A moving-average or low-pass filter can make a display look smoother while adding delay and attenuating real transients. A filter that is acceptable for a slowly varying posture measurement may be unacceptable for impact, vibration or closed-loop control.
Choose bandwidth from the application
- List the fastest real event that must remain visible and the maximum acceptable delay.
- Measure the sensor and electronics response over that range using a controlled input.
- Choose a filter whose cutoff, order and phase behavior fit those requirements.
- Compare filtered and unfiltered data on representative events, including short pulses and load reversals.
- Check that the filter does not turn a real baseline change into an apparently stable value.
No universal filter setting or fixed percentage reduction in drift or noise is established for flexible sensors. Filtering is a bandwidth decision, not a substitute for mechanical stabilization, conditioning or calibration.
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Compensate repeatable effects, then validate independently
Once a temperature, load-history or installation effect is repeatable, characterize it over the actual operating conditions before fitting a correction. Keep the raw channel, the correction inputs and the corrected output so that an unexpected result can be traced.
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- Use separate data for developing a correction and checking it. Reusing the same cycles can make an overfitted correction appear successful.
- Validate against an independent force, displacement or strain reference when available.
- Repeat several loading directions and cycles to expose hysteresis and recovery errors.
- Test after the expected warm-up, conditioning and environmental changes.
- Reject a correction that improves numerical smoothness but suppresses a real change in the measurand.
If the effect is not repeatable, improve the setup or measurement electronics first. A software model cannot reliably remove an uncontrolled mechanical contact, intermittent cable force or changing fixture geometry.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare flexible sensors on application-relevant characteristics
There is no evidence-supported universal ranking of flexible sensors. Compare candidates under the same fixture, load sequence, environment and electronics, and select the characteristics that matter to the application.
| Characteristic | What to measure or document | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Gauge factor | Normalized resistance change per unit strain under defined conditions | Determines sensitivity, but not by itself accuracy, range or stability |
| Linearity | Deviation from the chosen reference relationship across the working range | Shows whether a simple calibration is adequate |
| Response characteristics | Rise, fall and dynamic behavior at the required loading rates | Reveals delay or bandwidth limits |
| Hysteresis | Difference between loading and unloading paths using a stated definition | Shows dependence on load history |
| Usable strain or force range | Range in which output remains recoverable and sufficiently stable | Prevents operation near irreversible or highly nonlinear behavior |
| Recovery | Return toward the initial output after a defined release and wait | Important for repeated cycles and zero tracking |
| Environmental behavior | Temperature, humidity and aging response over expected conditions | Indicates whether compensation or environmental control is needed |
| Attachment method | Bonding, carrier, preload, orientation and fixture details | Installation can become part of the sensor response |
| Electronics compatibility | Excitation, resistance range, input impedance, resolution and sampling needs | Prevents noise or loading introduced by the readout system |
Troubleshoot by symptom
The zero drifts while the sensor is untouched
Check temperature and humidity logs, sustained-load creep, fixture relaxation, cable forces and power-up behavior. Repeat the test with the sensor disconnected or replaced by a stable electrical reference to separate sensor and readout drift.
The reading is noisy only when equipment runs
Hold the mechanical input fixed and compare the trace with the suspected equipment off and on. Inspect wiring, contacts, grounding and supply stability, then reduce bandwidth only after confirming that the interference is electrical rather than mechanical.
Loading and unloading disagree
Repeat a controlled cycle at more than one rate. If the difference follows the load path, characterize hysteresis and recovery; if it changes with rate, include rate in the operating specification. Do not replace the two paths with one averaged calibration unless the resulting error is acceptable for the application.
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Results differ after remounting
Reproduce the attachment, orientation, preload and cable route. Examine the carrier and fixture for slip or compliance. A remounting difference is evidence that installation is part of the measurement and must be controlled.
A filter improves the graph but misses events
Compare the filtered trace with raw data at the fastest event that matters. Increase bandwidth or reduce filter delay until the required event is retained, then address the underlying noise at its source.
Standards and documentation to keep with your data
For stretchable resistive strain sensors, cite the exact edition and test conditions of IEC 63203-401-1:2023. Keep the sensor version, fixture drawing, attachment materials, conditioning sequence, temperature, humidity, load profile, electronics settings and filtering parameters with each result. Use IEEE 2700-2017 as general terminology context, while recognizing that its listed types do not specifically cover flexible strain or force sensors.
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Bottom line
Reliable flexible-sensor measurements come from controlling the whole chain: identify the error pattern, stabilize the mechanics and environment, condition and calibrate at the intended temperature, characterize loading history with a defined method, and choose filtering only after setting a required bandwidth. Re-test with independent inputs so a smoother trace represents a better measurement rather than a hidden loss of real signal.
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