An optical sound detection system including: a laser source to generate a laser beam; an optical fiber; an optical sensor aligned to detect a detected portion of a diffraction pattern formed by the laser light emitted from the output coupling port of the optical fiber; and a signal processor to process the signal produced by the optical sensor. The optical fiber includes: a core that includes a photoelastically active material; an input coupling port optically coupled to the laser source to couple the laser beam into the core of the optical fiber; and an output coupling port from which the laser light is emitted after propagating through the core. The optical sensor is adapted to produce a signal corresponding to the detected portion of the diffraction pattern.
