Aug 26 2015
Today, Sensuron, a global provider of compact fiber optic sensing (FOS) systems, announced R&D Magazine has selected the company’s RTS125 system as a finalist for the 2015 R&D 100 Awards, which honor the 100 most innovative technologies and services of the past year.
The company is being recognized for the collaborative project conducted with NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (formally NASA Dryden Flight Research Center) that utilizes innovative FOS systems to detect wing deformation in flight. This marks the second time Sensuron has been recognized as R&D 100 Finalists, originally winning in 2013 for its work with NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.
“Aerospace agencies are constantly searching for safer equipment and processes to ensure astronaut safety; however, legacy technologies can make it difficult and costly to monitor and maintain the structural safety of spacecrafts,” said Michael Heflin, CEO, Sensuron. “Based on our collaborative work with NASA over the past seven years, we’ve perfected our RTS125 system to test, monitor and analyze the integrity of aircraft components. By doing so, we are helping to ensure the safe transportation of people and equipment into space and are honored to be recognized in such a prestigious arena that recognizes and values industry innovation.”
Widely recognized as the “Oscars of Invention,” the R&D 100 Awards identify and celebrate the top technology products of the year spanning industry, academia, and government-sponsored research. An independent panel of more than 70 judges was responsible for selecting this year’s finalists.
Sensuron’s RTS125 ruggedized compact fiber optic sensing system, driven by NASA-developed algorithms, is small, lightweight, and fast—it processes information at rates up to 100 times per second, representing a 20-fold improvement over existing technologies. In addition, it offers unprecedented levels of data density—each 40-foot, hair-like optical fiber offers up to 2,000 data points with adjustable spatial resolution. The system can zero in on high-activity areas for more detailed resolution, and the high-speed processing platform enables real-time analysis. NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center is currently working with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to incorporate the technology into an expendable launch vehicle, where access to comprehensive data through a single system will dramatically simplify the spacecraft health monitoring process.
The winners of the 53rd annual R&D 100 Awards will be announced at the R&D 100 Awards & Technology Conference on November 13, 2015 at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.
What’s Compact Fiber Optic Sensing?
FOS technologies collect and analyze material and structural data based on changes in the way light moves down a fiber optic cable. FOS technologies extract environmental parameters such as strain loads, temperature gradients, as well as 2D and 3D shape sensing when light is passed through a network of hair-thin fibers. By measuring the changes in how light reflects back given various changes in these parameters, FOS technology can provide real-time monitoring of applications, helping to ensure the integrity, efficiency and long-term durability of equipment.
Source: http://www.sensuron.com/