This example shows how to construct a “textile” flexible tilt sensor from extremely cheap and available materials. Substituting conductive fabric and a metal bead for aluminum foil.

Fuse fusible interfacing to a piece of aluminum foil.

Peel off paper backing.

Trace circles and traces and cut them out. CAUTION: you must cut everything that needs to be connected from one piece. You can not simply overlap the aluminum foil to make an electrical connection because the fusible interfacing will act as an isolating barrier.

Trace shape for base and cut out.

Arrange layout and begin to fuse foil to base fabric. Interfacing should be in between foil and fabric. Iron on circles to font, fold trace to back and iron on back to the straight edge. As you iron you can slightly bend the trace in order to achieve curves.

Crumple ball from a piece of aluminum foil that does not have the fusible adhered to it.

Tie knot in conductive thread.

Sew through foil ball.

Stitch conductive thread to aluminum tab.

Front and back images of finished aluminum foil tilt sensor.

share this