MIT soft sensor recreates 3D shape while bending and twisting despite fiber damage

MIT researchers developed a soft sensor that reconstructs its own 3D shape as it bends, folds, and twists. The system embeds flexible optical fibers in silicone and tracks deformations via changes in transmitted light, achieving reconstruction error under 0.4 cm. It could enable remote robot control, motion-tracking garments, and rehabilitation monitoring.

• Optical fibers in silicone track deformation via changes in transmitted light
• 3D reconstruction error under 0.4 cm versus 1–2 cm for rigid sensors
• The sheet keeps reconstructing its shape even after some fibers are cut
• Fibers about 1 mm thick could be reduced to tens of micrometers