This paper describes the mathematical and computer modelling of a photoelastic sensor for slip detection. The main components of the sensor are a photoelastic transducer and a solid state camera. When under stress, the photoelastic transducer generates optical fringe patterns which are captured digitally by the camera. The model developed encompasses the mechanical and optical behaviours of the photoelastic transducer and the switching characteristics of the camera pixels. The model has been employed to study the effects of different design parameters on the sensor's slip resolution.
