Validation of a Variable Bending Radius Sensing Principle for Optical-fiber Tactile Sensors

Optical tactile sensors are designed to be integrated at the tip of minimally invasive surgical instruments for the provision of tactile information to surgeons. In this study, a new bending-based sensing principle for an optical-fiber tactile sensor was validated experimentally. The postulated sensing principle showed high sensitivity and contributed to the further miniaturization of optical-fiber-based sensors.