VAN NUYS, Calif., Jan. 12, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optiphase, Inc. announced today that it has been selected to participate in a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Technology Innovation Program (TIP) to develop advanced sensing technologies that enable timely and detailed monitoring and inspection of the structural health of bridges, roadways and water systems that comprise a significant portion of the nation's public infrastructure.
The project involves the development of an innovative fiber optic monitoring system for large public structures such as bridges, waterways or pipelines that substitutes a single optical fiber sensing cable for hundreds of discrete, local strain or fracture sensors. Optiphase's blueprint calls for the use of distributed sensors (the entire fiber length is the sensor) and low-cost standardized fiber optic assemblies. The approach leverages naturally occurring scattering light phenomenon in fiber optic cable, coupled with the highest possible resolution method available (interferometric), to yield the breakthrough required -- concurrent dynamic and static, high-resolution measurements of large structures. This system could also scale to form an interstate civil structure grid, providing remote monitoring and highly precise real-time data analysis of structural conditions.
The system seeks to break the existing spatial and strain resolution barriers of today's sensors and offers both static and dynamic measurements in a cost effective manner for large public works structures. This will enable agencies to instrument large structures for real-time, high-resolution monitoring of the public works infrastructure for detection of cracks, large deformations, dynamic overloads, and other critical structural conditions.
The $1.1 million NIST award to Optiphase is matched by company funds and covers a 3-year period. Optiphase partners Redfern Integrated Optics, Inc. (RIO) of Santa Clara, CA and the University of Illinois at Chicago Head of Civil Engineering, Dr. Farhad Ansari, were also awarded NIST funding in order to address the system challenge in a comprehensive manner. Total funding of $4 million for the project is provided to the partners from NIST via joint venture Distributed Sensor Technologies, Inc.
Details of the NIST TIP announcement for the Civil Infrastructure award can be found at: http://tipex.nist.gov/tippb/prjbriefs/prjbrief.cfm?ProjectNumber=080019
About Optiphase, Inc.
Optiphase, Inc. is a leading provider of interferometric fiber optic sensor solutions. Products include instruments, assemblies and components serving the scientific, technical and commercial community. These include interrogators, OCT Optical Modules, demodulators, fiber stretchers, interferometers and tunable converters. Optiphase also partners with system integrators (OEMs) supplying semi-custom systems solutions for a variety of industry applications such as oil & gas production, security, civil structure monitoring and OCT medical devices. For more information, please visit www.optiphase.com.
About RIO Inc.
Redfern Integrated Optics, Inc. (RIO) develops and manufactures optical transmitters based on its proprietary planar external cavity laser technology (PLANEXTM), which delivers unique price-performance advantages in multiple markets. RIO's product lines include 1550nm single frequency narrow line width lasers with very low noise and long-reach 2.5-10 Gbps directly modulated transmitters, with DWDM wavelength stability, at low cost, small size and with low power dissipation. For more information, please visit www.rio-inc.com.
About University of Illinois at Chicago
UIC ranks among the nation's top 50 universities in federal research funding and is Chicago's largest university with 25,000 students, 15 colleges and the state's major public medical center. UIC's Department of Civil and Materials Engineering awards degrees through the Ph.D. level, providing an interdisciplinary educational approach that prepares students for successful careers in business, government and academia. The department's Laboratory for Smart Sensors and Non-destructive Testing (see: http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/cme/research/ssndtl/index.html ) conducts research to develop advanced technologies such as fiber optic sensors that monitor structural health. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu