Using off-the-shelf components, a sensor that measures skin friction drag has been developed by University of Surrey researchers.

As an object moves through a fluid, this drag occurs due to friction between the fluid and the object’s surface. Fields such as aerospace encounter this resistant force. According to the University of Surrey, a commercial airliner in cruise conditions will experience 50 percent fuel burn caused by skin friction drag.

The sensor can also be useful in robotics, long pipelines, and haptics.

Dubbed the “artificial whisker” sensor, the design started with repurposing a low-cost Honeywell pressure sensor die. After creating a device that stands less than 1 mm, researchers proved its force sensitivity—down to about 2 nanonewtons.

According to the University of Surrey, that is “equivalent to the change in weight of a piece of tissue paper if a human hair is used to punch a hole in it.”

After its inception, the sensor proved a success in the University of Surrey’s EnFlo wind tunnel.

“To date there has never been a reliable method for directly measuring skin friction drag, except for using one-off experimental prototypes, which require seven-figure budgets. The high-sensitivity sensor we have developed costs around £20 and offers an accurate, cost-effective solution,” says University of Surrey’s Dr. David Birch.

You can catch a glimpse of the “artificial whisker” technology in the image below.