Structure Health-Assessing Wireless Sensors

To address the need for on-the-spot structural stability assessment by emergency personnel, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new wireless stand-off structure integrity monitoring system, Structure Health Assessing Wireless Sensors (SHAWS), based on multimodal remote sensors, a wireless communication module, and handheld receivers. The SHAWS system evaluates the stability of structures by means of multimodal, hybrid sensors in terms of structure displacement, dislocation, and strain changes. The sensors? output signals are transmitted for instant alarm/warning to multiple users through a wireless network. In prototyping the SHAWS system, POC will make use of its customized sensor packages such as an integrated inertial MEMS, optical proximity sensors, and smart material strain sensors, and wireless networking systems. In Phase I POC will demonstrate a functional SHAWS prototype with a testbed, showing that SHAWS can accurately monitor a structure?s state-of-health in real time. In Phase II POC plans to develop a packaged SHAWS system and demonstrate full functionality in realistic environments. POC?s SHAWS commercial applications include data processing/storage for shipboard sensors, where remote data measurements and updates are required for control and monitoring purposes such as transportation, logistics, equipment tracking and maintenance, and security.