Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward systems and methods for calibrating and detecting force applied to a distal tip of a medical catheter. Some embodiments are directed toward a medical catheter with a deformable body near a distal tip of the catheter that deforms in response to a force applied at the distal tip. A force sensor detects various components of the deformation and processor circuitry, based on the detected components of the deformation, determines a force applied to the distal tip of the catheter and accounts for the effects of a bending moment.
