Assessing the Signal Quality of an Ultrasonic Sensor on Different Conductive Yarns Used as Transmission Lines

The field of electronic textiles is still relatively new and extending due to technology miniaturisation. In this article, the integration of an ultrasonic sensor into a textile structure was realised and analysed in order to develop a system able to help visually impaired people. The performance of ultrasonic sensors was tested by means of five different conductive yarns used as transmission lines, in three different configurations for the purpose of detecting the eventual existing off disturbances and their values. Finally, the influence of the conductive yarn type on the performance of the ultrasonic sensor was discussed. The results highlighted that the linear resistance of conductive yarn has a strong influence on the sensor’s signal quality.