  This paper reports a method allowing for the determination of the shape of
deformed fiber-like objects. Compared to existing methods, it provides
analytical results including the local slope and curvature which are of first
importance, for instance, in beam mechanics. The presented VIC (Virtual Image
Correlation) method consists in looking for the best correlation between the
image of the fiber-like object and a virtual beam image, using an algorithm
close to the Digital Image Correlation method developed in experimental solid
mechanics. The computation only involves the part of the image in the vicinity
of the fiber: the method is thus insensitive to the picture background and the
computational cost remains low. Two examples are reported: the first proves the
precision of the method, the second its ability to identify a complex shape
with multiple loops.
