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Optical Sensors: Instrumentation, Measurement and Metrology
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Optical Sensors: Instrumentation, Measurement and Metrology

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2026 | Viewed by 1778

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eusebio Bernabeu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Physics Faculty, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: optical fiber sensors; quantum and spectral optics; photonics; interferometric, diff imaging and deflectometric optical techniques; metrology and new measurement methods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. André Espinha

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IberOptics Sistemas Ópticos, Camino de Hormigueras 124, Portal 4, 2I, 28031 Madrid, Spain
Interests: optical image sensors; image processing and new 2D and 3D algorithm treatments; vision; optical dosimetry; interferometry and thermometry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical sensors are physical devices based on the use of measurable variations in some characteristics such as direction, polarization, luminous intensity (radiation energy: W/m²), interference and diffraction and spectral statistical properties, among others. Their construction materials comprise those used in the optical range, which are embodied in lenses, prisms, optical fibers, mirrors, optical surfaces and interfaces and electro-optic components. These operate in a broad spectral range: near-UV (down to vacuum UV), visible and mid-infrared, where the physical laws and their formulations are commonly applied. However, this range is expanding its boundaries with the extension to nano-metric meta-materials that exhibit novel phenomenology, reaching into the soft X-ray region and into the far infrared, microwaves and radio waves. Additionally, materials with periodic and transducer structures may be employed as optical elements. All of them can be incorporated into the configuration of devices nowadays recognized as optical sensors.

Optical sensors currently have an impact on physic-chemical methodology, the environment, manufacturing and industrial processes, healthcare (biomedicine and sanitation), aerospace, automotive, security, architecture and civil engineering, among others. Furthermore, the configuration of optical sensors in networks makes them suitable for incorporation into the IoT, and the use of AI resources brings them into the realm of big data.

Dr. Eusebio Bernabeu
Dr. André Espinha
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polarized light sensors
  • interferometric and diffractive sensors
  • optical fiber sensors
  • integrated optical sensors
  • optical dosimeters
  • interphase optical detectors
  • new measurement protocols for optical sensors
  • standards and uncertainty in methodology
  • optical portable measurement devices
  • optical image sensors
  • automotive and security

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3717 KB  
Article
Improving Astrometric Precision with MLP-Driven Super-Resolution of Star Maps
by Yi Lu, Xiping Xu, Juncen Yan, Ning Zhang and Yaowen Lv
Sensors 2026, 26(6), 1769; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26061769 - 11 Mar 2026
Viewed by 408
Abstract
Aiming at the star centroid positioning error in dynamic star simulators, a super-resolution star map correction method is proposed based on a multi-layer perceptron (MLP). A complete technical chain of “system calibration–aberration field modeling–network correction” is constructed to establish a data-driven end-to-end framework [...] Read more.
Aiming at the star centroid positioning error in dynamic star simulators, a super-resolution star map correction method is proposed based on a multi-layer perceptron (MLP). A complete technical chain of “system calibration–aberration field modeling–network correction” is constructed to establish a data-driven end-to-end framework for unified modeling and compensation of optical aberrations, assembly deviations, and device discreteness. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves sub-pixel accuracy: the maximum star centroid and inter-star angular distance errors are reduced by 22.9% and 37.5% on average, respectively, which is significantly superior to traditional methods. This work provides a reliable technical approach for high-precision star map display and star sensor ground calibration, with clear engineering application value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensors: Instrumentation, Measurement and Metrology)
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21 pages, 4844 KB  
Article
Human Activity Recognition in Domestic Settings Based on Optical Techniques and Ensemble Models
by Muhammad Amjad Raza, Nasir Mehmood, Hafeez Ur Rehman Siddiqui, Adil Ali Saleem, Roberto Marcelo Alvarez, Yini Airet Miró Vera and Isabel de la Torre Díez
Sensors 2026, 26(5), 1516; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26051516 - 27 Feb 2026
Viewed by 579
Abstract
Human activity recognition (HAR) is essential in many applications, such as smart homes, assisted living, healthcare monitoring, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and geriatric care. Conventional methods of HAR use wearable sensors, e.g., acceleration sensors and gyroscopes. However, they are limited by issues such as sensitivity [...] Read more.
Human activity recognition (HAR) is essential in many applications, such as smart homes, assisted living, healthcare monitoring, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and geriatric care. Conventional methods of HAR use wearable sensors, e.g., acceleration sensors and gyroscopes. However, they are limited by issues such as sensitivity to position, user inconvenience, and potential health risks with long-term use. Optical camera systems that are vision-based provide an alternative that is not intrusive; however, they are susceptible to variations in lighting, intrusions, and privacy issues. The paper uses an optical method of recognizing human domestic activities based on pose estimation and deep learning ensemble models. The skeletal keypoint features proposed in the current methodology are extracted from video data using PoseNet to generate a privacy-preserving representation that captures key motion dynamics without being sensitive to changes in appearance. A total of 30 subjects (15 male and 15 female) were sampled across 2734 activity samples, including nine daily domestic activities. There were six deep learning architectures, namely, the Transformer (Transformer), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (1D CNN), and a hybrid Convolutional Neural Network–Long Short-Term Memory (CNN–LSTM) architecture. The results on the hold-out test set show that the CNN–LSTM architecture achieves an accuracy of 98.78% within our experimental setting. Leave-One-Subject-Out cross-validation further confirms robust generalization across unseen individuals, with CNN–LSTM achieving a mean accuracy of 97.21% ± 1.84% across 30 subjects. The results demonstrate that vision-based pose estimation with deep learning is a useful, precise, and non-intrusive approach to HAR in smart healthcare and home automation systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensors: Instrumentation, Measurement and Metrology)
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29 pages, 8861 KB  
Article
Design and Error Analysis of an Optical Measurement System for the Wavefront of Large-Aperture Segmented Mirror
by Yukun He, Hongbo Zhao, Lanxin Peng, Xiaodong Sui, Changzheng Chen and Yueyang Peng
Sensors 2026, 26(5), 1450; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26051450 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 473
Abstract
To better meet the wavefront measurement requirements for large-aperture segmented mirrors after in-orbit deployment, this paper designs a measurement system based on an optical camera and targets. This system utilizes photogrammetry principles to measure target positions, fit the wavefront of the segmented mirror, [...] Read more.
To better meet the wavefront measurement requirements for large-aperture segmented mirrors after in-orbit deployment, this paper designs a measurement system based on an optical camera and targets. This system utilizes photogrammetry principles to measure target positions, fit the wavefront of the segmented mirror, and form a closed-loop control with the calibration mechanism. Based on the wavefront measurement range and accuracy requirements during the coarse calibration phase of the segmented mirror, the optical system was first designed. The measurement camera features a 16° × 12° rectangular field of view with a 100 mm focal length, achieving near-diffraction-limited imaging quality. The structural fundamental frequency of the measurement camera exceeds 400 Hz. Under a 4 °C temperature rise environment, the surface error of the optical lens remains better than 1/80λ. Based on error theory, a quantitative analysis of error sources and their impact on target position measurement accuracy was conducted, yielding theoretical measurement errors of ±0.0853 mm in the Z-direction and ±0.1525 mm in the X-direction. Through focal length calibration and imaging tests of the prototype, the measurement camera achieved a modulation transfer function greater than 0.11 with excellent imaging quality. With a focal length of 101.356 mm and a measurement range exceeding ±4 mm, it meets design requirements. Finite element simulation and Monte Carlo methods analyzed wavefront fitting accuracy under different operating conditions, yielding peak-to-valley values of 0.397 mm and root mean square values of 0.073 mm. The wavefront measurement system designed in this paper meets the structural rigidity and temperature adaptability requirements for in-orbit measurement systems. The prototype’s field of view satisfies the wavefront measurement range requirements, the camera’s focal length meets design specifications with good imaging quality, and the wavefront measurement deviation meets the accuracy requirements for the coarse calibration phase. Compared to current wavefront measurement systems, the proposed system significantly expands the measurement range, offering a novel wavefront measurement method for coarse calibration of tiled mirrors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Sensors: Instrumentation, Measurement and Metrology)
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