Licensable Technologies
: Engineering
: Environment/Waste Management
Method and Hardware for Interrogating a Large Number of Active Sensors/Actuators for Structural Health Monitoring
Abstract
This is a method for interrogating a large number of active sensors/actuators. This invention is a relay-based electronics hardware system that allows for the efficient sensing (interrogating/actuating) of piezoelectric (or similar) sensors for use the field of Structural Health Monitoring. This hardware serves as an active multiplexer that not only consdenses previously actuated signals, but also provides the signals for the physical actuation of the sensors themselves. The use of the methods described in prior work is both time and cost prohibitive for current SHM practice.
Application(s)
Can be used in all Structural Health Monitoring applications including, but not limited to:
- Automobiles
- Airplanes
- Spacecraft
- Bridges
- Tunnels
- Buildings
- Machines
- Etc.
Advantages
- Designed for local, active sensing vs. low frequency global system responses
- Because of frequency ranges, this method is more sensitive to small defects in a structure
- Scalability: Can accomodate large number of sensors/actuators without suffereing from cabling or wiring issues, which usually make large scale project prohibitively expensive
- Adaptability and Flexibility: Can accomodate any type of actuator or sensor. It does not have to be piezoelectric. The method can also adopt any SHM method, including wave propogation, impedance methods, and time-series analysis
- Improves and alleviates the current limitation of wireless SHM systems
In sum:
- Saves time over current methods
- Saves money over current methods
IP Status: Available both Exclusively and Non Exclusively
Reference Number: 603
S Number: DOE reference no.(s): 104,855
Patents & Applications:
Application(s) Pending
Posted: 04-11-2005
Contact
John Mott
Technology Transfer Division
Los Alamos National Laboratory
P.O. Box 1663, MailStop C334
(505) 665-0883
jmott@lanl.gov
