5. Miniaturized Processors For Sensors: MEMS Based Sensors

The idea is to miniaturize the size of the optical processors, power sources and the bulky instrumentation for use with distributed optical fiber sensors. MEMS based fiber optic distributed sensor will allow for mass production of miniaturized interrogators, optical switches, and chip based microprocessors and optoelectronics drivers. Such technology will provide cost effective and practical distributed sensing with large sensing capabilities for the civil structural systems

• Fiber optic based sensing, which allows for remote operations in harsh settings, i.e. electromagnetic, and or electrical environments.
• The hybrid MEMS-Chip based design approach will allow for a compact extremely small in size, and field installable system. All the elements of the system including the interferometer, optical switch, optical couplers, optoelectronics as well as the power driving circuitry and microprocessors will be manufactured on the MEMS-Chip element.
• Real-time data acquisition and fusion from the array of distributed sensors for infrastructure performance analysis and prediction.
• System will serve as a platform for application in other disciplines, i.e. minimally invasive sensing operations in human organisms, environmental sensors, etc.

The goal is to develop capability for application of large numbers of sensors in a very compact and portable manner in civil structures and environmental monitoring.

Fig.1 Sensor concept and civil structure monitoring

Fig.2 MEMs based bio fiber optic sensor.

Fig.3 Field-Scale Contaminated Site Remediation