Assessing the Role of Yarn Placement in Plated Knit Strain Sensors: A Detailed Study of Their Electromechanical Properties and Applicability in Bending Cycle Monitoring.

In this study, we explore how the strategic positioning of conductive yarns influences the performance of plated knit strain sensors fabricated using commercial knitting machines with both conductive and non-conductive yarns. Our study reveals that sensors with conductive yarns located at the rear, referred to as 'purl plated sensors', exhibit superior performance in comparison to those with conductive yarns at the front, or 'knit plated sensors'. Specifically, purl plated sensors demonstrate a higher sensitivity, evidenced by a gauge factor ranging from 3 to 18, and a minimized strain delay, indicated by a 1% strain in their electromechanical response.