Which sensor is commonly used to measure contact or pressure in assistive devices?

• A. IMUs
• B. Force sensors
• C. EMG sensors
• D. Pressure mapping sensors

Answer: (B)

Measuring how hard something presses against an assistive device relies on sensors that directly translate that contact into a measurable signal. Force sensors provide a direct readout of the normal contact force at a point or small area, which is exactly what you need to quantify how strongly a interface is pressed—for example, at a prosthetic socket, handgrip, or seating surface. They come in forms like load cells and force-sensitive resistors, designed to give a clear, quantitative measure of force.

IMUs track movement and orientation rather than contact force. EMG sensors measure muscle electrical activity, not pressure at an interface. Pressure mapping sensors, while useful for showing how pressure is distributed across a surface, provide a map of pressure over an area rather than a direct, single-point force reading. For the purpose of measuring contact or pressure at a specific interface in assistive devices, force sensors are the most appropriate choice.