BOSTON, Mass. (Feb. 4, 2019) --- Tekscan CTO Rob Podoloff shares insights into the design and development of a tactile pressure mapping system used to measure dynamic tire footprints at speeds up to 265 km/h (165 mph) during a FLEX/MSTC 2019.
The presentation, titled “TechTALK: Development of a High Speed System for Measuring Dynamic Tire Footprints” is scheduled for Wednesday Feb. 20 at 2 pm.
Pressure mapping technology – featuring paper-thin piezoresistive sensors, scanning electronics, and analysis software – has been a staple analysis tool used by tire designers for decades. Most tire footprint pressure mapping systems used today can only capture tire measurements at speeds under 10 km/h (6 mph), due to the scanning speeds across the sensing array, which can have up to 250,000 sensing points. However, tires undergo different characteristics when traveling at high speeds, including tire distortion, changes in centerlines and shoulders, and other physical variations that can impact the tire patch.
To address these key market demands, Tekscan introduced the High Speed TireScan™ in March of 2018, a first-of-its-kind tire footprint analysis system that scans a linear array at 20 kHz to build a virtual tire footprint with each pass. “Before the High Speed TireScan system, tire manufacturers would have to rely on the Finite Element Analysis model (FEA) to understand tire behavior at high speeds. This new system was developed only to verify the FEA, but to collect data that improves this modeling,” says Podoloff.
Podoloff will share how Tekscan solved several R&D challenges during the design of the High Speed TireScan System, such as methods to develop a more robust sensor that could survive repeat and rigorous tire testing experiments.
“In fact, the sensor design has shown to withstand upwards of 10 kN of shear force from slip angle tests, with no protective cover, and no impact on system performance,” says Podoloff. “We truly believe that the High Speed TireScan sensor design has set a new standard for printed sensor durability.”
For more information on the High Speed Tirescan, visit www.tekscan.com/high-speed-tirescan.
About Tekscan CTO Rob Podoloff
Rob Podoloff has spent the last 30 years developing new products and technologies in areas ranging from healthcare to interactive gaming to consumer electronics. Rob is a listed inventor on over 20 US Patents and is currently the CTO of Tekscan, Inc., the tactile sensor company he co-founded after completing his Master’s degree at MIT. Rob returned to Tekscan in October of 2015 after a 20 year absence during which he was involved in the initial funding, startup and eventual liquidation of several other technology companies. Rob also spends some of his time back at MIT where he serves as a Lab Instructor for senior capstone product design class 2.009 and freshman toy design class 2.00B.
About Tekscan
Tekscan's patented tactile force and pressure sensing solutions provide customers with the actionable information they need to optimize product design and improve clinical and research outcomes. Their sensors and systems are used across a wide range of applications within test and measurement, medical, dental, and retail; as stand-alone solutions or as embedded technology to create better and differentiated products. Tekscan’s passion for innovation, broad expertise and commitment to quality help turn customer visions into reality
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