This project will use a novel fiber optic approach tosensor and actuator data acquisition and handling suitable forcollecting and processing condition data from numerous remotesensors and/or actuators used in nuclear powerplants or any otherlarge installations. The approach is based on a technique for thenoninvasive coupling of information into a new type of opticalfiber from the side at any point or, simultaneously, or in anyarbitrary sequence, at numerous points along a continuous fiberlength. The fiber is designed to demultiplex the informationautomatically and resolve it spacially without the need fortime-sharing protocols. Phase I's objective is to fabricate thefiber and test the feasibility of this approach. If successful,Phase I will lead to efficient, cost-effective, flexible and easilyreconfigurable data acquisition systems, having the added advantageof immunity to electromagnetic and radio frequency interference.Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee:Successful completion of this project will allowthe construction of efficient fiber optic bus-organized systems forsensor multiplexing validation of sensor signals, and verificationof command execution in nuclear powerplants, process industries,aircraft, ships, etc. These systems may also provide an efficientdistributed strain sensor.
