The Strain Gauge Gets an Upgrade

The strain gauge, a device commonly used in the aerospace industry to detect stress and deformation, has its limitations. The three copper wires of the strain gauge often lead to labor-intensive efforts; a large, complicated structure requiring 100 strain measurements, for example, means 300 lead wires. As the implementation becomes more complex, the wire bundle itself gets bigger and heavier. Strain gauges are also susceptible to electronic magnetic interference, and the sensors must be spaced out at distant intervals.