As Embedded World '17 showed, the Internet of Things (IoT) era is rapidly approaching. From March 14-16, the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre in Nuremberg, Germany played host to over 1,000 exhibitors showcasing new embedded technology that will likely become major drivers for many IoT concepts. As we explored in a recent Tactile Touchpoints post, sensors are among these key elements that will help optimize products and devices for a smart-connected, IoT environment.

"IoT isn't just a popular buzzword these days. Based on the conversations we had at Embedded World, there several companies working to provide the hardware, software, and programming capabilities to make IoT processes possible," says Mark Lowe, Tekscan's Vice President of Sensors. "A lot of the attendees clearly had automation on their minds, so many were curious to see how the FlexiForce™ product line could help bring their force-sensing IoT concepts to life."

FlexiForce International Sales Engineer Tim Long (left) and Vice President of Sensors Mark Lowe (right) on site at Embedded World '17.

As Lowe explains, sensor flexibility, power efficiency, and cost tend to be three noteworthy challenges design engineers face when embedding sensing technology. From a force- or pressure-sensing perspective, FlexiForce tactile force sensors (or force sensing resistors) offer superior convenience for integrating into devices.

"You may not get the high-level accuracy of a load cell, but FlexiForce sensors are highly sensitive and economical printed circuits that can measure force in paper-thin spaces that humans can't access. This force data can be used to generate actionable responses between smart-connected devices and make IoT processes more efficient," Lowe said.

Interested in learning more about how FlexiForce sensors can help drive IoT processes? Click here to download our free eBook.