Smart Textile Fabrics Using Weaved Fiber Optic Sensors

Our research group at Redondo Optics and support collaborators have been working on developing novel methods for weaving fiber optic sensors within high performance synthetic textile materials used in the manufacturing of “Smart” fabrics. Specifically, our group has investigated and developed automated manufacturing techniques for weaving and braiding glass and plastic optical fiber sensors within the strands and yarns of the produced textiles. The weaved fiber sensors – Microbend & FBGs Strain and Temperature, DCS & DBS Chemical & Biological – and support wearable electronics and power are used to monitor stress, strain, fatigue, load and movement, temperature, pressure, respiration and hearth rates, and body sweat chemical and biological constituents, and to transmit this information in real time to wearable communication devices for global dissemination to key intelligence sources. In the paper we provide on-going results on the use of the DIFOS technology for the global measurement of strain in high performance applications such as supersonic parachute canopies and strength member ropes, to jet fighter arresting gear cables in aircraft carriers.