Elongate probe with at least one bend sensor

A probe device 12 for insertion into a human or animal body is disclosed. It comprises an elongate flexible body 14 and at least one bend sensor 16 located on the body 14. The at least one bend sensor 16 detects bending of the body 14 and produces an output signal that is indicative of the detected bend. Preferably the device 12 has a plurality of bend sensors 16 that are spaced apart along the body 14. Optionally the bend sensors 16 are positioned to sense bending in one of two mutually orthogonal planes. Preferably each sensor has a sensing component 20 which exhibits an electrical characteristic, such as a resistance, which changes depending on the characteristic of the bend. The probe device 12 can be connected to a processor 40 which creates a data model of the probe device from the respective output signals of the bend sensors 16. It can render the data model as an image of said probe device 12. The image may be superimposed with an image of an object, for example part of a human or animal body, into which the probe device 12 is inserted during use.