An apparatus includes a deformable structure in which a neural network comprising a plurality of deformation sensors, e.g. nanowire sensors, and distributed in-situ processing circuits. The circuits generate a signal characterizing features of the local deformation of the structure and/or a command signal corresponding to the detected deformation. The structure may be a wearable sleeve that conforms to deformations of a user's skin, part of an electronic device, such as a touch sensitive screen, or an object in itself. The apparatus can provide a user interface, wherein a command corresponding to a current shape of the structure is generated and acted upon by a integrated or remote device, or a device for monitoring a user's position or movement e.g. for replication by a robotic device. The apparatus may have machine learning capability to improve the matching of commands with determined shapes of the deformable structure.