Proceedings Article | 17 September 2014
KEYWORDS: Composites, Fiber optics sensors, Sensors, Fiber Bragg gratings, Structural health monitoring, Signal processing, Data transmission, Avionic systems, Data processing, Safety
This paper describes recent progress towards the development of an innovative light weight, high-speed, and selfpowered
wireless fiber optic sensor (WiFOS™) structural health monitor system suitable for the onboard and in-flight
unattended detection, localization, and classification of load, fatigue, and structural damage in advanced composite
materials commonly used in avionics and aerospace systems. The WiFOS™ system is based on ROI’s advancements on
monolithic photonic integrated circuit microchip technology, integrated with smart power management, on-board data
processing, wireless data transmission optoelectronics, and self-power using energy harvesting tools such as solar,
vibration, thermoelectric, and magneto-electric. The self-powered, wireless WiFOS™ system offers a versatile and
powerful SHM tool to enhance the reliability and safety of avionics platforms, jet fighters, helicopters, commercial
aircraft that use lightweight composite material structures, by providing comprehensive information about the structural
integrity of the structure from a large number of locations. Immediate SHM applications are found in rotorcraft and
aircraft, ships, submarines, and in next generation weapon systems, and in commercial oil and petrochemical, aerospace
industries, civil structures, power utilities, portable medical devices, and biotechnology, homeland security and a wide
spectrum of other applications.
