Technology Opportunity Showcase

Technology Opportunity Showcase highlights some unnique technologies that NASA has developed and which we believe have strong potential for commercial application. While the descriptions provided here are brief, they should provide enough information to communicate the potential applications of the technology. For more detailed information, contact the person listed. Please mention that you read about it in Innovation.

Distributed Sensor System (DSS)—Continuous Monitoring of Strain

Langley Research Center is seeking qualified companies to license a new distributed sensor system that is superior to conventional strain sensors for monitoring large and/or complex load-bearing structures. It increases the ability of researchers to determine structural integrity in a cost-effective manner by embedding the fiber sensor in load-bearing structures, such as aerospace vehicles, bridges, dams, oil wells and industrial machinery. Also, an internal, highly automated inspection technique can potentially eliminate the need for costly manual inspection. The Distributed Strain Sensor (DSS) is used to determine the Fiber Bragg Gratings' (FBGs) reflectivity and wavelength at every point along an optical fiber. These data are obtained by measuring the interference of the light reflected from the FBGs with the light reflected from a reference reflector. The reflected spectrum of any section of fiber can then be computed. Shifts in this spectrum then provide an accurate measurement of the strain in that fiber section. Currently, sections can be as short as 1.5 inches and range over 20 feet. A plot of the FBGs gratings along the length of the sensing fiber can be generated to show the location, length and relative strength of all the FBGs. Because the reference reflector is located in the same fiber with the FBGs, very long lead lengths, possibly miles, can exist between the demodulation instrumentation and the sensing fiber. The DSS has been used to successfully demodulate 200 FBGs in a two-meter section of optical fiber. Researchers at Langley plan to use this technology to demodulate up to 800 FBGs over an eight-meter fiber for strain measurements. FBGs are demodulated based on their distance from the reference reflector, allowing all of the gratings to be written at the same wavelength and thereby dramatically simplifying the manufacturing of the sensing fiber.

For more information, contact Sherry Sullivan at Langley Research Center. 757/864-2556, s.l.sullivan@larc.nasa.gov Please mention you read about it in Innovation.

 

Fiber Dispersion Measurement System

Langley Research Center is looking for licensees for its fiber dispersion measurement system, which analyzes a variety of wave devices, such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), directional couplers, isolators, connectors, amplitude modulators, amplifiers and wave division multiplexers. These devices are playing an increasingly important role in the world's telecommunications network; therefore, it is important to understand how they will affect signal transmissions. Current testing technology is both expensive and time consuming. NASA has developed a new system for faster and less costly analysis of these devices. With current technology, a tunable laser is modulated by a fixed frequency oscillator in the gigahertz range. The modulated light experiences a delay as a result of propagating down the fiber and reflecting off of the grating. The light is detected by a high-speed detector, and the modulation signal is recovered. The phase shift caused by the fiber propagation is then detected. NASA's Fiber Dispersion Measurement System (FDMS) allows many of the expensive components of current systems to be eliminated—expensive high-bandwidth electronics, vector volt meters, high-frequency oscillators and high-speed electro-optic modulators. Instead, FDMS relies on interference phenomena to measure grating transmission properties. NASA has built a simple version of the system, which has yielded excellent results. The innovation can fully characterize any fiber device's phase, amplitude, transmission and reflection from either direction in 30 seconds. Current technology requires approximately 20 minutes per grating. The system may be manufactured for as little as $50,000, approximately one-third of the cost of current technology.

 

For more information, contact Sherry Sullivan at Langley Research Center. 757/864-2556, s.l.sullivan@larc.nasa.gov Please mention you read about it in Innovation.

 

Process for Waterproofing of Low-Density Aerogels

Ames Research Center is seeking commercial partners to license technology for waterproofing low-density aerogels after they have been produced and dried. Waterproofing prevents aerogel collapse due to water absorption and prevents moisture uptake. This waterproofing process is long lasting; it allows aerogels waterproofed by this method to stay waterproofed even after floating in water for a week. The process is inexpensive, simple, long-lasting, versatile, repeatable and extremely effective. This technology can be used to waterproof all types of low-density aerogels and xerogels, which in turn have many applications, including window and skylight insulation, automotive catalytic converters, air filtration, aerospace insulation, refrigerator and oven insulation, cryogenic storage insulation, electrolytic capacitors, electronic insulators and furnace insulation.

For more information, contact Phil Herlth, Technology Commercialization Manager at Ames Research Center. 650/604-0625, pherlth@mail.arc.nasa.gov Please mention you read about it in Innovation.