A catheter adapted to measure a contact force. The catheter includes a proximal segment, a distal segment, and a spring segment. The spring segment extends from the proximal segment to the distal segment. The spring segment is configured to permit relative movement between the distal segment and the proximal segment in response to an application of the force on the distal segment. The spring segment includes a slotted tube having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of sensing elements. The sensing elements are disposed on surfaces of the slotted tube. The sensing elements are configured to output a plurality of signals indicative of the relative movement between the proximal segment and the distal segment.
