Optellios to Develop Cutting Edge Technology for Civil Infrastructure Monitoring

NEWTOWN, PA--(Marketwire - 12/21/09) - Optellios, Inc. has announced the launch of a $3.9 million research and development program in partnership with the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This announcement follows an earlier notification by NIST that it has selected the Newtown, PA company to participate in its Technology Innovation Program (TIP) to address the areas of Critical National Need. As part of the program, Optellios will undertake a major effort to develop a fiber-optic sensing technology for early detection and location of faults in the nation's aging civil infrastructure systems, including water pipelines, dams and levees, bridges, roads and highways.
The project's primary focus will be on a technology for monitoring the status and integrity of water pipelines and similar, often inaccessible, structures using fiber-optic cables. The optical fiber would act as a continuous sensor, providing real-time data on the location and nature of acoustic disturbances or changes in vibration, temperature, and strain along a pipe over distances of tens of miles. Monitoring for thermal and acoustic anomalies along water pipelines will help detect and locate water leaks, while a combination of acoustic and strain sensing can detect structural changes associated with infrastructure aging.
"Optellios has long been a technology leader in the field of fiber-optic sensing for the security industry. This project represents a major step toward developing new capabilities for a growing market segment of civil infrastructure monitoring," said Dr. Jay S. Patel, the company CEO.
The company's current technology, embodied in its FiberPatrol sensor systems, allows early detection of the so-called third-party interference (TPI), which includes unauthorized excavations, a constant source of concern for in-ground utility operators and oil pipelines. This capability is expected to be significantly enhanced by the technology developments expected from this new program.
Optellios, Inc. is a leading U.S.-based technology company specializing in sensing, security, and communication. Its FiberPatrol line of security products delivers advanced and cost effective security solutions for the nation's critical infrastructures and high-value assets. For more information, visit www.optellios.com.
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Michael Nolan
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