A stretchable optical sensor that can detect multiple modes of deformation and contact, including pressure, strain, and bending. The method of operation involves a waveguide and a flexible housing, in one embodiment made of silicone rubber. The interface between the two is a reflective layer that encapsulates light propagating through the channel. As the sensor is stretched, compressed, or bent, cracks within the reflective layer form and allow light to escape, resulting in a linear changes to the signal response.
