Readit NewsAlteratively, could you use a short segment of colored cladding that allows certain wavelengths to leak out more than others? I think that would allow you to encode each bend point as a different color-- which might require a different (more expensive) rx sensor, but could be useful for certain applications.
There is already existing work that uses colored segments for something similar but those techniques are hard to do outside a well equipped lab.
My reasoning is that you'd increase the resolution without adding too much technical complexity.
My maths is too rusty to evaluate how it would mess with the gray code though.
Very nice idea
This can certainly be miniaturized with the right manufacturing techniques but I left that for the future.
Do you put any lube on the interface between the silicone sleeve and optical cable? I imagine the bending action will cause displacement, and friction there could rub and/or cause the nominal position to shift around.
Our lab has done a good bit of work around elastomers similar to the linked paper, such as multitouch pressure sensing (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9674750). The authors of your linked paper can actually achieve what they've done with a single light source by using one of these! The zones are key (https://www.st.com/en/imaging-and-photonics-solutions/time-o...)