Abstract
Wearable sensors, which help monitor biological and body movement information in daily life, are increasingly
required to be unconscious and unrestrained in the human body. Hetero-core optical fiber
sensors have the advantages of small diameter, lightweight, and flexibility, and they can be embedded in
flexible materials such as cloth and tape. We have developed flexible sensors incorporating hetero-core
optical fibers that can be useful in healthcare and welfare applications. In this paper, we first describe
flexible sensors incorporating hetero-core optical fibers. Next, blood pressure estimation using tape-type
sensors is presented. Finally, we show that the cloth-type sensor can be attached to clothing to detect
body movements and used for action recognition and nursing care training.
