Abstract Fiber Optic Shape Sensing is an innovative Optical Fiber Sensing Technology that uses a fiber optic cable to continuously track the 3D shape and position of a dynamic object (with unknown motion) in real-time without visual contact. This technology offers a valid alternative to existing shape sensing methods, thanks to a combination of advantages (including ease of installation, intrinsic safety, compactness, flexibility, electrically passive operation, resistance to harsh environments and corrosion, no need for proximity or computational or numerical models to reconstruct shape) that can bring remarkable improvements to the fields of Civil, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Biomedicine and Medicine. A considerable research effort has been dedicated to this subject in the last twenty years. This paper presents an ambitious review of the current state of the art of Fiber Optic Shape Sensors (FOSS) based on Optical Multicore Fibers (MCF) or multiple optical single-core fibers with embedded strain sensors and provides a comprehensive analysis of a wide range of aspects, comprising: (1) existing alternative technologies; (2) an overview of optical fiber sensors (3) characteristics and advantages of fiber optic shape sensors; (4) historical achievements; (5) applications; (6) performance and error analysis; and (7) present and future perspectives.

中文翻译：

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光纤形状传感器：全面审查

摘要 光纤形状传感是一种创新的光纤传感技术，它利用光缆在无视觉接触的情况下实时连续跟踪动态物体（运动未知）的 3D 形状和位置。由于具有多种优势（包括易于安装、本质安全、紧凑性、灵活性、无源电操作、耐恶劣环境和腐蚀、无需接近或计算或数值），该技术提供了现有形状传感方法的有效替代方案。模型来重建形状），可以为土木、机械和航空航天工程、生物医学和医学领域带来显着的改进。在过去的 20 年里，已经对这个主题进行了大量的研究工作。本文对基于多芯光纤 (MCF) 或带有嵌入式应变传感器的多根光学单芯光纤的光纤形状传感器 (FOSS) 的当前技术水平进行了雄心勃勃的回顾，并提供了对各种方面，包括： (1) 现有的替代技术；(2)光纤传感器概述 (3)光纤形状传感器的特点和优势；（四）历史成就；（五）申请；(6) 性能及误差分析；(7) 现在和未来的展望。(2)光纤传感器概述 (3)光纤形状传感器的特点和优势；（四）历史成就；（五）申请；(6) 性能及误差分析；(7) 现在和未来的展望。(2)光纤传感器概述 (3)光纤形状传感器的特点和优势；（四）历史成就；（五）申请；(6) 性能及误差分析；(7) 现在和未来的展望。