A system and a method comprising an array of bending elements for determining a condition

A system comprising a sensor element and a sensing system, a method of operating it, a sensor element and a method of providing it, where the sensor element has a substrate from which a plurality of elongate, bendable elements extend. The elongated elements are configured to bend, in the same direction, when exposed to a condition, which may be a temperature, a pressure, a pH, a humidity or a presence of a predetermined molecule. The elongated elements may have a first surface and a second surface having different degrees of contraction/extension when exposed to the condition, where the first surfaces all point in the same direction. The sensing system may relate on a large number of elongate elements positioned within a given area on the sensor element.