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This study addresses the limitation of traditional non-destructive testing methods in real-time corrosion monitoring of pipe elbows by proposing the utilization of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensors, renowned for their resilience in harsh environments. However, the current mathematical relationship model for strain representation of elbow corrosion is still lacking. This paper develops a finite element model to scrutinize the strain changes in the elbow due to corrosion under hydrostatic pressure and bending loads. To mitigate temperature loading effects, the corrosion degree is evaluated through the disparity between hoop and axial strains. Simulation outcomes reveal that, under hydrostatic pressure, the strain difference exhibits minimal changes with the increase in corrosion degree, while under bending moment loading, the strain difference escalates proportionally with corrosion progression. Consequently, strain induced by bending moment loading solely characterizes the corrosion degree. Moreover, the optimal placement for FBG sensors is identified at the extrados of the pipe elbow, where strain is most prominent. These insights enhance comprehension of strain–corrosion dynamics in pipe elbows, offering valuable guidance for developing an FBG-based monitoring system for real-time corrosion tracking and predictive maintenance of pipeline infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time monitoring of heartbeat signals using multimode fiber optic microvibration sensing technology is crucial for diagnosing cardiovascular diseases, but the heartbeat signals are very weak and susceptible to noise interference, leading to inaccurate diagnostic results. In this paper, a combined enhanced discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and non-local mean estimation (NLM) denoising method is proposed to remove noise from heartbeat signals, which adaptively determines the filtering parameters of the DWT-NLM composite method using objective noise reduction quality assessment metrics by denoising different ECG signals from multiple databases with the addition of additive Gaussian white noise (AGW) with different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). The noise reduction results are compared with those of NLM, enhanced DWT, and conventional DWT combined with NLM method. The results show that the output SNR of the proposed method is significantly higher than the other methods compared in the range of −5 to 25 dB input SNR. Further, the proposed method is employed for noise reduction of heartbeat signals measured by fiber optic microvibration sensing. It is worth mentioning that the proposed method does not need to obtain the exact noise level, but only the adaptive filtering parameters based on the autocorrelation nature of the denoised signal. This work greatly improves the signal quality of the multimode fiber microvibration sensing system and helps to improve the diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batteries play a crucial role as energy storage devices across various industries. However, achieving high performance often comes at the cost of safety. Continuous monitoring is essential to ensure the safety and reliability of batteries. This paper investigates the advancements in battery monitoring technology, focusing on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). By examining the factors contributing to battery degradation and the principles of FBGs, this study discusses key aspects of FBG sensing, including mounting locations, monitoring targets, and their correlation with optical signals. While current FBG battery sensing can achieve high measurement accuracies for temperature (0.1 °C), strain (0.1 μ ε ), pressure (0.14 bar), and refractive index (6 × 10−5 RIU), with corresponding sensitivities of 40 pm/°C, 2.2 pm/ μ ε , −0.3 pm/bar, and −18 nm/RIU, respectively, accurately assessing battery health in real time remains a challenge. Traditional methods struggle to provide real-time and precise evaluations by analyzing the microstructure of battery materials or physical phenomena during chemical reactions. Therefore, by summarizing the current state of FBG battery sensing research, it is evident that monitoring battery material properties (e.g., refractive index and gas properties) through FBGs offers a promising solution for real-time and accurate battery health assessment. This paper also delves into the obstacles of battery monitoring, such as standardizing the FBG encapsulation process, decoupling multiple parameters, and controlling costs. Ultimately, the paper highlights the potential of FBG monitoring technology in driving advancements in battery development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of wavelet decomposition layer (DL) not only affects the denoising quality of wavelet denoising (WD), but also limits the denoising efficiency, especially when dealing with real phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry (φ -OTDR) signals with complex signal characteristics and different noise distributions. In this paper, a straightforward adaptive DL selection method is introduced, which dose not require known noise and clean signals, but relies on the similarity between the probability density function (PDF) of method noise (MN) and the PDF of Gaussian white noise. Validation is carried out using hypothetical noise signals and measured φ -OTDR vibration signals by comparison with conventional metrics, such as peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM). The proposed wavelet DL selection method contributes to the fast processing of distributed fiber optic sensing signals and further improves the system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed fiber sensor (DFS)-based dynamic sensing has attracted increasing attention thanks to the growing demand in areas such as structural health monitoring and geophysical science. The maximum detectable frequency of DFSs depends on the maximum pulse repetition rate (MPRR), which is limited by the total length of the fiber under test (FUT). In some real-world applications, there is some distance between the interrogator and the monitoring site. Therefore, only a small part of the FUT acts as a sensing fiber (SF), while the other major part just acts as a lead fiber (LF), and the MPRR is limited by the LF and SF. Overcoming the LF-induced extra limitation on the MPRR is a practical problem for many DFS applications. In this paper, to the best of our knowledge, we propose a simple approach for overcoming the LF-induced extra limitation on the MPRR by dividing the DFS interrogator into two parts, for the first time. The proposed approach can be easily implemented for the real-world applicationsof DFSs whose LF is much longer than SF. It has been experimentally validated by using conventional phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry and Brillouin optical time domain analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a stable and switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser. In the ring cavity, an inverse-Gaussian apodized fiber Bragg grating serves as an ultranarrow dual-wavelength passband filter, a semiconductor optical amplifier biased in the low-gain regime reduces the gain competition of the two wavelengths, and a feedback fiber loop acts as a mode filter to guarantee a stable single-longitudinalmode operation. Two lasing lines with a wavelength separation of approximately 0.1 nm are obtained experimentally. A microwave signal at 12.51 GHz is demonstrated by beating the dual wavelengths at a photodetector. [c] 2010 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 060.2330, 060.3510, 060.3735.

An all-fiber sensor scheme for simultaneous strain and temperature measurement is presented. The sensing head is formed by serially connecting a polarization maintaining photonic-crystal-fiber-based intermodal interferometer (IMI) with a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). The IMI, exhibiting an opposite strain response as compared to that of the FBG, is highly sensitive to strain, while it is insensitive to temperature. This has potential for improving the strain and temperature measurement resolutions. A sensor resolution of [+ or -] 8.3 [micro][epsilon] in strain and [+ or -] 2[degrees]C in temperature are experimentally achieved within a strain range of 0-957.6 [micro][epsilon] and a temperature range of 24[degrees]C-64[degrees]C, respectively. OCIS codes: 060.2310, 060.2370.

We demonstrate a novel all-fiber nanotube Q-switched low-threshold linear cavity tunable erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL). With a compact and low insertion loss carbon nanotube based saturable absorber connected in a linear EDFL cavity, a low pump threshold of 18.57 mW is obtained. The pulse repetition rate can be adjusted from 8.12 to 72.2 kHz by varying the pump power from 18.57 to 118.8 mW. In addition, the emission wavelength can be adjusted from 1545.04 to 1549.99 nm by tuning the central wavelength of the fiber Bragg grating, which serves as an end mirror of the laser cavity. OCIS codes: 060.2310, 140.3500, 060.3510, 140.3540.

A low-splicing-loss polarization-maintaining photonic-crystal-fiber (PMPCF)-based optical fiber Sagnac interferometer (OFSI) and its cladding-mode effect are demonstrated experimentally and analytically. An OFSI with minimum splicing loss of about 2.6 dB is achieved. The weak cladding modes induced by residual mode field diameter mismatch at the fusion splice cause a filtering effect on the transmission spectra of the OFSIs. This is especially noticeable for short length PMPCF-based OFSIs. Experimental results show that the relatively maximum ripple fluctuation induced by the cladding mode can reach 5.7%. The cladding-mode effect can be eliminated by slightly bending the PMPCF, but this introduces additional insertion loss. OCIS codes: 060.2310, 060.2340.

A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with an inverse-Gaussian apodization function is proposed and fabricated. It is shown that such a FBG possesses dual-wavelength narrow transmission peaks and the wavelength spacing between the two peaks is easily controllable during fabrication. Incorporating such a FBG filter into a fiber laser with a linear cavity, we obtain stable dual-wavelength emission with 0.146 nm wavelength spacing. This arrangement provides a simple and low cost way of achieving dual-wavelength fiber laser operation. OCIS codes: 060.2330, 060.3510, 060.3735.

This paper presents the fabrication of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based Fabry–Perot (FP) structure (7 mm total length) in an adiabatic fiber taper, investigates its strain and temperature characteristics, and compares the sensing characteristics with a standard polyimide coated FBG sensor. Firstly, a simulation of the said structure is presented, followed by the fabrication of an adiabatic fiber taper having the outer diameter reduced to 70 μ m (core diameter to 4.7 μ m). Next, the sensing structure, composed of two identical uniform FBG spaced apart by a small gap, is directly inscribed point-by-point using infrared femtosecond laser (fs-laser) micromachining. Lastly, the strain and temperature behavior for a range up to 3400 μ ε and 225 ° C, respectively, are investigated for the fabricated sensor and the FBG, and compared. The fabricated sensor attains a higher strain sensitivity (2.32 pm/ μ ε ) than the FBG (0.73 pm/ μ ε ), while both the sensors experience similar sensitivity to temperature (8.85 pm/ ° C). The potential applications of such sensors include continuous health monitoring where precise strain detection is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a novel force sensor to detect the distal force of tendon-sheath mechanisms (TSMs) in flexible endoscopic surgical robots. We propose to measure the compression force on the sheath at the distal end so that the tension force on the tendon, which equals the compression force on the sheath, can be obtained. With this approach, a new force sensor made up of a 1 mm fiber Bragg grating attached to a 3 mm long nitinol tube was developed to measure the compression force exerted on the sheath. Mechanics analysis and verification tests were conducted to characterize the relationship between tension and compression on a TSM. Force calibrations, hysteresis study, and temperature compensation verification tests on the sensor were carried out. The force sensor has a measurement error of 0.178 N and a sensitivity of 34.14 pm/N. Applications of the sensor in a TSM-driven robotic grasper and a tendon-driven continuum robot were demonstrated. This force sensor has salient advantages: it is small, structurally simple, electrically passive, temperature-compensated, easy to assemble and disassemble, flexible, and biocompatible. This proposed approach with the new force sensor can also be applied to both TSM-driven systems and tendon-driven systems such as robotic fingers/hands, wearable devices, surgical catheters, and rehabilitation devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A closed-form analytical solution of the dynamic stress distribution of the fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rod is presented in this paper. It is derived based on a trilinear model from a boundary shear stress of the FRP rod. The dynamic stress distribution of the FRP rod during the pull-out process can be modelled by this analytical solution, which is correlated against experimental data. Especially, the stress distributions of the rod at six evolution points are studied. This analytical solution offers a new approach for predicting the ultimate load bearing capacity of the FRP rod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A high sensitive fiber-optic refractive index tip sensor based on a simple inline hollow glass micro-sphere is presented. The inline hollow glass micro-sphere can be automatically constructed at the splicing joint break time when splicing a hollow core photonic crystal fiber to an SMF. Simultaneously, the micro-sphere is tipped on the SMF end. It is temperature insensitive in the air due to its micro size and hollow cavity sphere structure. The ambient refractive index can be measured by detecting the extinction ratio variation of the sensor, with a high sensitivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of nicotinic acid (NA) supplementation on the meat quality, carcass characteristics, lipid metabolism, and tibia parameters in Wulong geese. A total of 360 twenty-nine-day-old Wulong geese were randomly divided into 6 treatments, and each treatment included 6 pens with 10 birds per pen. Birds were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100 mg/kg NA for 12 wk. Dietary NA supplementation linearly decreased L* value and increased pH and water-holding capacity in the breast muscle (P < 0.05). Increasing NA levels linearly and quadratically decreased shear force of breast muscle (P < 0.001). Dietary NA supplementation linearly reduced the thickness of subcutaneous fat plus the skin and percentage of abdominal fat, and enhanced the width of intermuscular fat band (P < 0.001). Dietary NA addition linearly and quadratically increased intramuscular fat (IMF) content (P ≤ 0.001). Increasing NA levels decreased serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and increased serum lipase activity and hepatic mRNA expression of lipoprotein lipase in a linear manner (P < 0.05). There were linear and quadratic effects in serum triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and malate dehydrogenase activity with the NA addition (P < 0.05). Feeding the NA-supplemented-diets linearly increased tibia length, circumference, fat-free dry weight, and ash content (P < 0.001). There were linear and quadratic increases in Ca and P contents with the NA supplementation (P < 0.05). According to the quadratic regression analyses fitted to shear force, IMF content, serum triglycerides and HDL-C levels, and tibial Ca and P contents, the optimal dietary NA supplementation was 80 to 90 mg/kg. In conclusion, NA addition enhanced meat quality and IMF content, regulated lipid metabolism, and increased tibia quality of Wulong geese. The dosage of 80 mg/kg NA in Wulong geese aged 5 to 16 wk was recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel arc-shape FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) load sensor is developed with a pair of FBGs embedded symmetrically in an elastic bending beam. The FBG pair is produced with peak wavelength separation of about 0.4 nm. The FBG with shorter wavelength is located above the neutral layer and another with longer wavelength below the neutral layer. As a result, the two peak wavelengths of the FBG pair move apart with lateral force applied but move together in the same direction when surrounding temperature varies, both in a linear manner. A very low temperature-dependency of only 0.04 pm/°C across the temperature range from 35°C to 82°C has been achieved, which makes it suitable for dynamic lateral force measurement even when the environmental temperature varies. Due to the fact that the sensor module consists of only the grating fiber with two FBGs and some elastic material, which are purely passive components, hence, the temperature effect of this sensor can be self-compensated without a need of any active temperature controller or other temperature-isolation mechanism, thus in principle, this sensor module is passively temperature-independent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pressure sensor utilizing a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) has been demonstrated. An FBG interrogation system consisting of a fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter detects the shift in the reflected wavelength when a range of force was applied perpendicularly to a bare FBG, resulting in a nonlinear response.When the FBG was embedded within some carbon fiber material, the test results show an excellent linearity between the wavelength shift and the applied force. Sensing force of up to 60N has been demonstrated without causing deformation to the FBG. The pressure sensor has a sensitivity of 1pm (equivalent to ~0.8 με). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specialty fibers have introduced new functionalities and opportunities in distributed fiber sensing applications. Particularly, Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) systems have leveraged the unique features of specialty fibers to achieve performance enhancement in various sensing applications. This paper provides an overview of recent developments of the specialty fibers based BOTDA technologies and their sensing applications. The specialty fibers based BOTDA systems are categorized and reviewed based on the new features or performance enhancements. The prospects of using specialty fibers for BOTDA systems are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel all-fiber wide pulse-repetition-rate range tunable nanotube Q-switched low threshold erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser is demonstrated. By connecting a compact and low insertion loss carbon nanotube-based saturable absorber and a section of high concentration EDF in a simple linear laser cavity, Q-switched laser, with a threshold of 29.85 mW, a pulse-repetition-rate tunable range of 14.5–141.4 kHz, and a minimum pulse duration of 330 ns, are achieved. With this laser structure, the self-mode-locking effect on the Q-switch operation can be effectively suppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: A sensing fiber, with a gradually increasing Raman-gain-coefficient (g R/A eff)along the fiber length, and which can keep the received Raman Stokes power constant in a distributed Raman-based Fiber-optic temperature Sensor, is proposed. This method can be an additional and easy way to further extend the sensing distance of the distributed Raman Fiber-optic temperature Sensor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The study on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) displacement sensor based on monitoring the back-reflected power from an array of novelly embedded FBG sensors is presented. The sensor is a uniform FBG with three sections that are embedded in different layer in a composite lamina. Its bandwidth is displacement dependent and hence its reflected power varies almost linearly with displacement and it is insensitive to temperature variation. Thus, only low-cost photodetector (PD) is required to monitor displacement. This study demonstrates a novel fiber sensor, a method of fabricated the same, and a method to achieve simultaneous multi-sensor measurement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An all-fiber passively wideband-tunable nanotube Q-switched low threshold erbium doped fiber laser is presented. With a low insertion loss carbon nanotube based saturable absorber, C- and L-band tunable Q-switched lasers are achieved by tuning the transmission wavelength of one C-band tunable filter and the other L-band one, respectively. The threshold of the Q-switched operation is only 12.8 mW. The self-mode-locking effect on the Q-switching can be effectively reduced by introducing a spatial hole burning effect with two optical circulators. The tunable wavelength range of the Q-switching laser can be changed by inserting a variable optical attenuator in the laser cavity to tune the gain spectrum., (© 2011 Optical Society of America)

We fabricate and demonstrate strain-insensitive and high-temperature long-period gratings in endlessly single-mode photonic crystal fiber by use of focused pulses of a CO2 laser and a periodic stress relaxation technique without geometrical deformation and elongation of the fiber. The thermal dependence of mode coupling at 1299.59 nm is 10.9 pm/degrees C from 24 to 992 degrees C, whereas the coefficient of strain sensitivity is -0.192 pm/muepsilon up to the maximum strain of 2.74%epsilon. It is found for what is believed to be the first time that, in contrast with the traditional fiber case, the coupling resonance shifts toward shorter wavelengths under applied strain, indicating that the refractive index of the core is decreased as a result of the rebuilding of tension attributed to the stress-elastic effect, and the cladding modes is highly dispersive because of airholes arranged in the fiber cladding.