LASER BATTLISTIC SHOCK ACCELEROMETER

A DESIGN FOR A SMALL, ONE INCH BY TWO INCH, RUGGEDIZED LASER ACCELEROMETER TO MEASURE SHOCK EXPERIENCED BY COMPONENTS MOUNTED IN ARMORED VEHICLES SUBJECTED TO PYROTECHNIC SHOCK AND PROJECTILE IMPACT IS DESCRIBED. A UNIQUE APPROACH USING ONLY DIFFUSELY REFLECTED LASER LIGHT FROM THE AREA OF INTEREST IS PROPOSED. IN THIS APPROACH, STANDOFF DISTANCES OF UP TO EIGHT INCHES ARE POSSIBLE, AND REPOSITIONING OF THE SENSOR IS A SIMPLE AND RAPID PROCEDURES REQUIRING NO SPECIAL SURFACE PREPARATION OR ATTACHMENT OF RETRO-REFLECTORS. BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE DESIGN OF THE SENSOR, NO COMPLICATED VIBRATION ISOLATION TECHNIQUES ARE REQUIRED. THE SENSOR HEAD MAY BE MOUNTED IN ANY ARBITRARY MANNER WITHOUT REGARD TO SENSOR HEAD VIBRATION AS LONG AS THE AREA OF INTEREST REMAINS WITHIN THE VIEW OF THE SENSOR HEAD. MECHANICAL SHOCK ISOLATION MAY BE APPLIED TO THE SENSOR HEAD TO ALLOW SURVIVAL WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THE MEASUREMENT. A COMPLETELY OPTICAL APPROACH TO THE SENSOR HEAD AND DATA CABLE DESIGN ELIMINATES ALL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATIONS IN OR GENERATION OF AN ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE ENVIRONMENT.