Dynamic Fiber-Optic Shape Sensing Using Fiber Segment Interferometry

Thomas Kissinger, Edmond Chehura, Stephen E. Staines, Stephen W. James, Ralph P. Tatam
2018 Journal of Lightwave Technology  
Dynamic fiber-optic shape sensing, often also referred to as curvature or bend sensing, is demonstrated using fiber segment interferometry, where chains of fiber segments, separated by broadband Bragg grating reflectors, are interrogated using rangeresolved interferometry. In this paper, the theory of interferometric curvature sensing using fiber segments is developed in detail, including techniques to infer lateral displacements from the measured differential strain data and methods for
more » ... onal calibration of the sensor. A proof-of-concept experiment is performed, where four fiber strings, each containing four fiber segments of gauge length 20 cm each, are attached to the opposing sides of a flexible support structure and the resulting differential strain measurements are used to determine the lateral displacements of a 0.8 m cantilever test object in two dimensions. Dynamic tip displacement measurements at 40 nm · Hz −0 .5 noise levels over a 21 kHz bandwidth demonstrate the suitability of this approach for highly sensitive and cost-effective fiber-optic lateral displacement or vibration measurements.
doi:10.1109/jlt.2017.2750759 fatcat:p4j6bkjzzfbizkc6xit6ixxwqu