REDONDO OPTICS, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N151-006

Description

Redondo Optics Inc. (ROI), proposes to design, build, and demonstrate to the Navy an no-moving-parts, ultra-low power, light weight, and miniature size, multi-channel optical fiber interrogation (MOFIS?) structural health monitor system suitable for the in-situ non-intrusive integration to a helicopter composite blade to enable the in-flight distributed multi-point measurement of true-strain, temperature, vibration, and impacts associated with excessive loads, fatigue, and structural damage within the composite blades structure. In Phase I, ROI will design, engineer, and assemble a laboratory prototype of stand-alone multi-channel MOFIS? transceiver interrogation system and use it to interrogate an array (≥15-channels) of FBG sensor transducers deployed over a single sensor fiber with a spectral dynamic range of ?10,000-microstrains and a resolution of 0.1-microstrains suitable for the real time structural health monitoring of rotorcraft blades. In Phase II will produce a field deployable ultra-low power, small form factor MOFIS? SHM system and demonstrate its performance for operation under the environment conditions of a helicopter rotor blade. In Phase III, with the support of a strategic partner, the WiFOS technology will be transitioned to Navy operations.