Commercialization of fiber-optic strain gauge systems

A fiber-optic strain gauge system for general purpose applications capable of operating with either Fabry-Perot, modal domain, or polarimetric sensors, is presented. The different sensor options enable the user to choose between short gauge length Fabry-Perot sensors for localized measurements, or long gauge length modal domain or polarimetric sensors for integrated measurements. The system is fully connectorized to facilitate interchange of sensors without a fusion splicer, which makes it accessible to a wide range of customers with no knowledge of fiber optics.