Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor for Simultaneous Strain and Temperature Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies lack an efficient method to simultaneously measure movement, strain, and temperature across movable body regions, such as the face, foot, arm, or torso, with high precision and accuracy, especially for applications like speech recognition and stroke rehabilitation.
Innovation Solution
The use of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) embedded in a single optical fiber, attached to the body surface through various attachments like garments or direct bonding, which convert body movements into wavelength changes, allowing for real-time strain and temperature measurements using a wavelength interrogator and discriminator system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to measure movement, strain, and temperature across body regions, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple FBG sensors are integrated into a single optical fiber, allowing simultaneous measurement of movement, strain, and temperature across multiple body regions through one fiber rather than requiring separate sensor systems for each measurement type
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fiber with embedded FBG sensors serves multiple functions simultaneously - measuring movement, strain, and temperature - eliminating the need for separate specialized sensors for each parameter
2Productivity
If FBG sensors are distributed over the length of the fiber for simultaneous measurements, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber is segmented into multiple sensing zones along its length, with FBG sensors distributed at specific positions to measure different body regions simultaneously, enabling parallel measurement of multiple parameters
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise estimation of body positional measurements and temperature profiles by analyzing wavelength shifts over time, providing accurate data for movement characterization and rehabilitation assessments.
Implementation Method 1
The sensors of the present invention are formed from Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG), and the sensors may be used to measure any physical phenomenon which can be translated at the sensor into a change in grating pitch, refractive index, or wavelength reflection response over the extent of each FBG sensor
Implementation Method 2
The sensors of the present invention are formed from Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG)
Implementation Method 3
an optical fiber containing FBGs disposed over the length of the fiber
Implementation Method 4
the reflected energy is coupled and applied to a wavelength discriminator, which determines the wavelength of each individual sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A movement and expression sensor has a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) disposed along the length of an optical fiber, and the optical fiber is placed in contact with a subject's skin surface. The sensors are interrogated for reflected wavelength, which is converted into a temperature or a strain. A series of such measurements can be made to determine the movement or position of the sensor location. A garment may be formed using the sensors and an elastomeric material, such that the sensors may be worn and removed, and the movements of the elastomer in the areas of sensors measured as a wavelength shift to characterize movement or estimate location. The elastomeric garment may be formed as a mask, or a sock, such as for use with a face, or foot.