MOTM

I was working on some other project involving conductive fabrics when 
I realized that the strap that fit inside your shoe for an 
electrostatic discharge ground system was in fact a conductive 
element with a resistive property.  I grabbed a Desco brand ESD heel 
cuff from the lab and measured the resistance of the entire 22" 
length of conductive strap- 75 kilohms!  At the 1/2 point- 37.5 
kilohms!!!  I made numerous measurements people, this is a linear 
resistive element.

Here's my plan:
I'm going to adhere the strap to a piece of sheet rubber.  One end of 
the strap with be clamped to a piece of wire-one lead- and a 1/2" 
wide piece of copper tape will provide the other lead.  The tape will 
be placed in an approximately 1/8" deep groove in a piece of wood and 
the rubber sheet will be stretched over it, strap side facing the 
copper tape.  This will give me a useful 75 kilohm adjustable 
resistor.  This can be used in front of a DC amplifier to provide a 0-
5 volt control level.

I'll be trying to get ahold of this manufacturer for the name of the 
supplier of this strap material.  In the meantime, if you've got ESD 
heel cuffs at work, check the conductance of those straps (they call 
them "tabs" in the ESD biz) and see what you find!

Chub the relatively giddy