Carbon nanotube pressure sensor

A pressure sensing element (12) comprises a pair of opposite substrates (14, 14') defining a gap there-between, the substrates comprising each an electrode and an alignment layer. A dielectric matrix (16) is arranged in the gap between the substrates and comprises a nematic liquid crystal. The alignment layers include predetermined surface patterns configured to create at least one defect line (24) extending between the substrates from one of the electrodes to the other. Electrically conductive nanoparticles (26), in particular untreated carbon nanotubes, are trapped in the defect line and form an electrically conductive wire. The working principle of the pressure sensor described herein relies on the variation, due to an external force application, of the resistance of the sensing element based on a carbon nanotube network in liquid crystal. Also presented are a pressure sensor comprising the pressure sensing element (12) and a method of manufacturing the pressure sensing element.