What’s

Piezoelectric braided cord is a "string-like" sensor that generates voltage by extension, twist, and torsion movements. Piezoelectric braided cord was created by piezoelectric polymer fiber incorporated by Japanese traditional craft, "Kumihimo". Piezoelectricity is a phenomenon in which an electric charge/voltage are generated when stress/strain is applied to a dielectric material. The functional property of inorganic piezoelectric materials has long been widely used in stress and acceleration sensors.

圧電組紐

It consists of three yarns made of environmentally friendly piezoelectric, conducting and insulating fibers. The fiber bundles are wrapped around a wound core that is alternately and spirally intersected, woven and woven in a regular spiral pattern. Furthermore, sufficient electromagnetic shielding is achieved by braiding and overlapping two pairs of bundles composed of conductive fibers. In other words, the structure simulates the shielding structure of a coaxial cable, achieving low noise and high sensitivity. In addition, the piezoelectric fiber is optically active polymer and therefore not pyroelectricity. In other words, it is resistant to temperature changes in the surrounding environment.

圧電組紐 Piezoelectric braided cord embroidered on denim fabric.
圧電組紐 Measurement of response voltage of piezoelectric braided cord sewn onto fabric.

Decorative knots tied with piezoelectric braided cord produce unparalleled functionality.
Piezoelectric braided cord generates electrical signals in response to the magnitude of movement. For example, large body movements generate large voltages. At this moment, the pulse wave signal in response to small pulsating movements is buried by the large signal resulting from large body movements and becomes undetectable.

In such cases, it is usually necessary to prepare a PC with complex analysis software or a device with many circuits to separate the response signal from the signal caused by pulsation and the signal caused by body motion.

A system using piezoelectric braided cord solves this problem. This is because piezoelectric braided cord senses only the piezoelectric signal of the motion to be measured, depending on the type of knotting. In other words, using decorative knots with piezoelectric braided cord or embroidering piezoelectric braided cord eliminates the need for a PC and numerous circuits. The rare feature of piezoelectric braided cord is not found in any other sensors.

Motion Sensing

The electrical signals of the piezoelectric braided cord respond to each movement such as "pulling", "shearing", and "twisting".

  • 圧電組紐

    Extension

  • 圧電組紐

    Shear

  • 圧電組紐

    Torsion

How to tie the pielzelectric braided cord

By utilizing the "thread to thread relationship" in the Japanese traditional craft of Kumihimo ornamental musubi, the structure of knots of piezoelectric of braided cord allows selective sensing without using a complicated system or PC.

  • 圧電組紐

    Embroidery

  • 圧電組紐

    Kumihimo (braided cord)

  • 圧電組紐

    Decoration Blade