Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42076422›Full record

ArticleSensors (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Geometrically Optimized FDM-Printed Conductive TPU Bend Sensors for Hand Rehabilitation.

Ahmet Özkurt, Damla Gürkan Kuntalp, Ozan Kayacan, Özlem Kayacan, Selnur Narin Aral

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Ahmet ÖzkurtDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir 35390, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0001-6404-7244
Damla Gürkan KuntalpDepartment of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir 35390, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0003-0617-7918
Ozan KayacanDepartment of Textile Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir 35390, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0001-9246-0730
Özlem KayacanDepartment of Textile Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir 35390, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-5558-2584
Selnur Narin AralFaculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir 35330, Turkey.ORCID 0009-0000-3502-9637

Funding

Universities Support Program FBA-2025-3715
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Flexible resistive bend sensors are essential for monitoring human movement in smart rehabilitation and soft robotics. However, widespread adoption is currently hindered by a trade-off between the high cost of metal-film technologies and the performance degradation (significant hysteresis and non-linearity) of low-cost carbon/polymer composites. This study presents a geometrically customizable bending sensor fabricated from conductive thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology as an accessible alternative to commercial sensors. By parametrically optimizing physical dimensions-including trace width, layer thickness, and pattern geometry-the sensors were tailored to achieve target resistance values within a target window of 20-50 kΩ (achieved: ~44 kΩ nominal) for specific finger-joint applications. Electromechanical characterization revealed a negative gauge factor (GF), where resistance decreases upon bending or elongation due to conductive pathway formation and densification within the polymer matrix. This behavior cannot affect sensor operation, and required bend-resistance responses were acquired using geometrical optimization. To compensate for inherent viscoelastic-induced hysteresis and non-linear behavior, a third-degree polynomial modeling approach was implemented. This modeling approach yielded a coefficient of determination (

Indexed as

HandPolyurethanesRehabilitationElectric ConductivityEquipment DesignHumansRoboticsWearable Electronic DevicesPolyurethanes3D printingbend sensorconductive TPUnegative gauge factorrehabilitation gloveresistivewearable sensors

Identifiers

PMID42076422
PMCPMC13120614

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.