Fiber-Optic Instrumented Garments

Big Light Technology, Inc. proposes to develop a light weight, comfortable, flexible, form fitting instrumented garment. The instrumented garment will be capable of monitoring the skin temperature at multiple localized torso locations using fiber-optic sensors incorporated on a single optical fiber. The sensors are passive and will therefore require no external power. The method for monitoring the sensors is optical in nature and so they will pose no danger in the presence of combustible materials. The equipment for interrogating the sensors will be compact, light weight, low power, and cost effective, thus making possible a small battery powered unit that can be sewn into the garment or clipped onto the user's belt. This system will include all of the equipment required to monitor the embedded sensors in order to determine a potential low skin temperature hazard to the user.