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High-Accuracy 3D Shape Sensor Based on Anti-Twist Packaged High Uniform Multicore Fiber FBGs

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Abstract

Improving the accuracy of shape sensors based on multicore fibers (MCFs) is challenging but of great importance for real-time 3D shape detection, especially in visually inaccessible areas. In this work, a novel approach is proposed to improve MCF shape sensor accuracy using an ultraviolet transparent liquid mediated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscription technique and a twist-isolating packaging method. A newly developed UV index matching liquid (UV-IML) is used to generate uniform light field at all the MCF cores, enabling FBG inscription with high accuracy. Additionally, a new stress fully released (SFR) packaging method is implemented to isolate the sensor from any external twists. The MCF shape sensor shows a maximum relative error of only 3.33% and the lowest reported relative sensitivity error of 1.11% cm−1. Moreover, a real-time 3D shape sensing system with a response frequency larger than 30 Hz is constructed using the unique MCF shape sensor. The highly accurate real-time 3D shape sensing results indicate potential applications for in vivo shape estimation of endoscopies and soft robots.

Graphical abstract

A highly accurate MCF shape sensor for real-time 3D shape detection in visually inaccessible areas is developed. The MCF shape sensor shows a maximum relative error of 3.33% and the lowest reported relative sensitivity error of 1.11% cm−1. The novel ultraviolet index matching liquid FBG inscription method and stress fully released packaging method ensures high accuracy.

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Data underlying the results presented in this paper are not publicly available at this time but may be obtained from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the Major Scientific Research Project of Zhejiang Laboratory (No. 2019MC0AD02), the Innovation Project of Zhejiang Laboratory (No. 2022MG0AL03), the National Science Foundation of China (Nos. 62204230, 62020106002, T2293750, 62205306, 92250304), and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFC2401403). We would like to thank Dr. Fu Feng and Mr. Qilin Deng for their help in revising English writing.

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  1. Leixin Meng and Hang Xu have contributed equally to the work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Humanoid Sensing, Zhejiang Laboratory, Hangzhou, 311100, China

    Leixin Meng, Yuan Zhuang, Liqiang Wang, Chenlei Pang, Jiahe Zhang, Fei Guo & Qing Yang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering; International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Hang Xu, Liqiang Wang & Qing Yang

  3. Key Laboratory of Material Physics, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Microelectronics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China

    Hang Xu & Haizhong Guo

  4. College of Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, China

    Yangyang Huang & Ming Zhang

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  1. Leixin Meng
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Meng, L., Xu, H., Huang, Y. et al. High-Accuracy 3D Shape Sensor Based on Anti-Twist Packaged High Uniform Multicore Fiber FBGs. Adv. Fiber Mater. 5, 1467–1477 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42765-023-00285-5

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