Sensors with deformable conductors and selective deformation

1. A system, comprising:

an elastic bladder; and

a stretchable conductor disposed in a geometry on the elastic bladder such that deformation of the elastic bladder causes deformation of the stretchable conductor, wherein the deformation of the stretchable conductor causes a change in an electrical characteristic of the stretchable conductor;

an encapsulant configured to encapsulate the stretchable conductor to the elastic bladder; and

a processor, operatively coupled to the stretchable conductor, configured to receive from the stretchable conductor a signal indicative of an electrical property of the stretchable conductor and determine a strain on the elastic bladder based, at least in part, on the signal;

wherein the bladder contains a medium that biases the elastic bladder to return to a predetermined three-dimensional configuration.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the bladder is constrained in a first dimension such that it is able to flex in a second dimension to a degree greater than in the first dimension; and

the stretchable conductor is configured to elongate in the second dimension.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the geometry is configured to provide a different change in the electrical characteristic of the stretchable conductor based on a shear force or a compression force placed on the stretchable conductor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the geometry is a rectangular geometry.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the stretchable conductor is a first stretchable conductor and further comprising a second stretchable conductor, operatively coupled to the processor, disposed on an opposite side of the elastic bladder from the first stretchable conductor.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second stretchable conductor is configured in the geometry and wherein the processor is configured to determine strain on the elastic bladder based on a difference in the change in the electrical characteristics of the first and second stretchable conductors.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the geometry is a first geometry and the second stretchable conductor is configured in a second geometry different from the first geometry, wherein the processor is configured to determine strain on the elastic bladder based on a difference in the change in the electrical characteristics of the first and second stretchable conductors.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the shear force based on a change in the width of an electric field between the first and second stretchable conductors.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stretchable conductor comprises a metal gel printed on the surface of the bladder.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stretchable conductor comprises a liquid metal disposed in a fluidic channel attached to the bladder.

11. A method of making a system, comprising:

disposing a stretchable conductor in a geometry on an elastic bladder such that deformation of the elastic bladder causes deformation of the stretchable conductor, wherein the deformation of the stretchable conductor causes a change in an electrical characteristic of the stretchable conductor;

encapsulating the stretchable conductor to the elastic bladder with an encapsulant; and

operatively coupling a processor to the stretchable conductor, the processor configured to receive from the stretchable conductor a signal indicative of an electrical property of the stretchable conductor and determine a strain on the elastic bladder based, at least in part, on the signal;

wherein the bladder contains a medium that biases the elastic bladder to return to a predetermined three-dimensional configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising constraining the bladder in a first dimension such that it is able to flex in a second dimension to a degree greater than in the first dimension; and

wherein the stretchable conductor is configured to elongate in the second dimension.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the geometry is configured to provide a different change in the electrical characteristic of the stretchable conductor based on a shear force or a compression force placed on the stretchable conductor.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the geometry is a rectangular geometry.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the stretchable conductor is a first stretchable conductor and further comprising:

disposing a second stretchable conductor, operatively coupled to the processor, on an opposite side of the elastic bladder from the first stretchable conductor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein disposing the second stretchable conductor includes disposing the second stretchable conductor in the geometry and wherein the processor is configured to determine strain on the elastic bladder based on a difference in the change in the electrical characteristics of the first and second stretchable conductors.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the geometry is a first geometry and disposing the second stretchable conductor includes disposing the second stretchable conductor in a second geometry different from the first geometry, wherein the processor is configured to determine strain on the elastic bladder based on a difference in the change in the electrical characteristics of the first and second stretchable conductors.

18. The method of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the shear force based on a change in the width of an electric field between the first and second stretchable conductors.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the stretchable conductor comprises a metal gel and disposing the stretchable conductor includes printing the stretchable conductor on the surface of the bladder.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the stretchable conductor comprises a liquid metal disposed in a fluidic channel attached to the bladder.