Single-channel multi-core fiber sensor for finger bending detection based on composite calibration

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics and Photonics
• Wearable Technology
• Biomedical Sensing

Background:

• Accurate finger motion sensing is critical for wearable electronics, human-machine interaction, and rehabilitation.
• Existing systems often face challenges with hardware complexity, system compactness, and sensing precision.
• Need for integrated, reliable, and scalable solutions for real-time motion monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a single-channel multi-core fiber sensor system for finger bending detection.
• To integrate thermal diffusion technology with a composite calibration mechanism for enhanced precision.
• To reduce hardware complexity and improve system compactness for wearable applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a single-channel multi-core fiber sensor incorporating thermal diffusion technology.
• Employed a composite calibration mechanism based on dual-wavelength multi-core fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs).
• Developed a thermal diffusion-fabricated coupler to combine FBG signals into a single optical channel.

Main Results:

• Achieved accurate and stable multi-parameter decoupling for finger bending detection.
• Demonstrated excellent repeatability and low crosstalk, indicating high sensing precision.
• The system showed significant reduction in hardware complexity and enhanced system compactness.

Conclusions:

• The proposed sensor system offers high integration, flexible fabrication, and reliable performance.
• The dual-wavelength FBG calibration effectively compensates for packaging errors and cross-sensitivity.
• This technology provides a scalable and efficient solution for next-generation wearable optical fiber sensing systems.