Electrohydromechanical Actuator Control System Using Flight-Hardened Fiber Optic Sensors

Luna Innovations proposes to develop a flight hardened fiber optic sensor system for the measurement of pressure, temperature, current, voltage, rotary position, and linear position. The purpose of this system is to provide control feed back for electromechanical and electrohydrostatic actuation systems on aircraft. Sensors will be completely EMI-Immune and are an enabling technology for emerging fly-by-light flight control systems. The 12-channel system will be optimized for weight, volume, and power consumption appropriate to a flight environment. It will be insensitive to variable losses in the fiber network, as well as to time / temperature effects on the internal optical components, including sources and detectors. Sensors will be based on Luna’s patented technology, and will provide extremely high-fidelity measurements. During the Phase I project, prototype sensors will be designed for implementation within an electromechanical actuator system. Sensor compatibility with the prototype readout system will be verified. During the Phase II project, Luna Innovations will work with an actuator OEM and will design sensors for direct integration into the actuator. Additionally, a miniaturized readout system will be built and tested. The sensors developed during this program will advance the state-of-the-art in actuator control by providing a high-speed, EMI-immune instrumentation suite.