Punchable/stompable switch

 Here are some ideas on how to make Resistance/Force Sensors -

I thought them up while ago to use as antenne - Insect Feeler like sensors.

(sticking out of the front of Robot to detect objects).

What you need is Conductive foam and a Plastic encapsulation machine.

Conductive Foam is the stuff that they stick ICs in to protect them during transport and handling,

its like Black Foam - if you put your multimeter on a piece it will show a lowish resistance.

 Cut the conductive foam into strips

 Take two of them and wrap thinthin wire around towards the end of each one.

Lay them in a line overlapping each other (for electrical contact) with the two wired ones at each end.

Then carefully put the whole thing through a plastic encapsulation machine (ie the ones that should encapsulate paper)

Caution:-Protect the wires with a paper sleeve - (if your Encapsulator is too hot it could melt the wires inside the machine - not a pretty sight)

End result is a flexible strain gauge that changes its resistance when flexed.

The Top sensor ..... i was able to route the second return cable through the plastic encapsulation as well.

The sensors i made react to flexing and also if you press your finger on any part the resistance changes.

All you have to do is connect it to an analog port with pull up supply resistor.

The only thing to watch out is that conductive foam is Slowish - meaning it has to recover after extreame flexing.