Adafruit
Round Force-Sensitive Resistor (FSR) [Interlink 402]
The Interlink 402 is a round force-sensitive resistor (FSR) with a 12.7 mm (0.5″) sensing area. It changes resistance based on applied pressure — the harder ...
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The Interlink 402 is a round force-sensitive resistor (FSR) with a 12.7 mm (0.5″) sensing area. It changes resistance based on applied pressure — the harder you press, the lower the resistance — making it a simple, low-cost way to detect physical pressure, squeezing, and weight in your projects.
FSRs provide a range of response rather than precise measurements, with approximately ±10% variation between sensors. They're ideal for detecting relative force (light touch vs. hard press) but not suited for exact weight measurement. Connect using a breadboard, alligator clips, female headers, or terminal blocks — soldering directly to the tabs risks melting the plastic and damaging the sensor.
Key Features
- 12.7 mm (0.5″) Round Sensing Area – Compact force detection zone
- Variable Resistance – Decreases with applied pressure
- Simple Analogue Interface – Read with any microcontroller's ADC pin
- Low Cost – Affordable pressure sensing for prototypes
- Flexible Plastic Construction – Thin and easy to mount
Ideal For
- Touch and pressure detection in interactive projects
- Wearable electronics and e-textiles
- Musical instruments and game controllers
- Squeeze and grip detection
Package Contents
- 1× Round Force-Sensitive Resistor (Interlink 402)
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- ADC
- An analogue-to-digital converter reads a changing voltage and turns it into a number the microcontroller can use. It matters when connecting analogue sensors such as light, sound, or variable-resistor sensors.
- e-textiles
- Electronic textiles are fabrics or clothing that include electrical parts such as conductive thread, sensors, LEDs, or small controllers. This matters because parts for e-textiles need to survive bending, sewing, and sometimes washing.
- FSR
- FSR usually means full-scale range, the total span between the lowest and highest value a converter can output or measure, so error figures quoted as a percentage of FSR depend on the selected range such as 2.5 V or 5 V. In other contexts FSR can instead mean a force-sensing resistor, a component whose resistance changes with applied pressure, so check which sense is meant.
- Headers
- Rows of connector contacts on a fixed pitch (commonly 2.54 mm) used to link a board to a breadboard, jumper wires, or another board. They come as male pin headers and female socket headers; when a module ships with pre-soldered headers it can be used straight away, whereas bare pads require soldering the pins yourself.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.
- Terminal block
- A terminal block is a connector that joins wires together in a neat, removable, or serviceable way, usually clamping each wire under a screw or spring instead of soldering. It makes it easier to connect, change, or service wiring without permanent joints.
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