SBIR Phase I: A MEMS Fiber Optic Sensor with High Sensitivity

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase (SBIR) I project proposes to develop a sensor system that will overcome many of the current limitations of the public works infrastructure. The design will be based on optimally partitioning the desired system functionality into the various components such that overall the system can achieve the system-level goals of adequate performance and low life-cycle costs. The various system functions, such as power distribution, signal communications will be included as elements of the design rather than focusing solely on sensor sensitivity or some other single variable. The primary objective of the project is to develop a sensor for application of large numbers of sensors in a very compact and portable manner in civil structures. The commercial potential is a fiber optic sensor based on a high finesse Fabry-Perot that has the potential to meet the needs for structural health monitoring.