Is someone sitting upright in the passenger seat of the car or is that passenger bending over? Did someone enter the hazard zone in front of an industrial machine? Stretch and pressure sensors have a wide range of applications. Researchers have now developed sensors capable of expanding, in extreme cases, to twice their original length and so supple as to go virtually unnoticed when sewn into clothing. These systems can be seen at the Sensor+Test measurement fair in Nüremberg, Germany, June 7–9, 2011.

Dielectric elastomer sensors can be customized and applied in a variety of ways. (Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research)

The car is racing far too fast toward the tail end of a traffic jam, and a crash is inevitable. The inflated airbag can protect the car’s occupants. But if the person in the passenger seat is leaning too far forward, perhaps looking for something in a bag in the foot space, the force of the airbag can cause injury.

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