Patent ID: 8395109

Claim:
A motion sensor comprising: a helically coiled member defining an internal open ended channel having a first open end portion opposite a second end portion and allowing the transmission of light therebetween, the helically coiled member being bendable when a lateral force is applied thereto; a light emitter adjacent the first open end portion positioned to emit light into the channel for at least a portion of the light to travel through the channel toward the second open portion, at least a portion of the light traveling through the channel being reflected by the helically coiled member into the channel when the helically coiled member is bent; and a light detector adjacent the second open end portion positioned to receive light that traveled through the channel, an amount of light received by the light detector varying depending at least in part on an amount by which the helically coiled member has been bent, and the light detector being further configured to transmit a signal indicating the amount of light received by the light detector.