Målet med projektet var att påvisat teknisk och kommersiell tillämpbarhet för en innovativ idé för fukt- och läckagemätning över långa längder och stora ytor i träbyggnader. Idén baseras på en smart kabeldesign där den optiska förlusten i kabeln gö rs känslig för fukt eller
vatteninträngning. Projektet har unde rsökt en prototyp i labbmiljö och kommit fram till att tekniken är lämplig. Dock fann vi även att att sensorkonceptet i nuläget inte är kommersiellt tillämpbart inom träbyggnadsbranchen.

Resultaten från labbförsöken visar entydigt att det är möjligt att detektera vatten. Genom att använda en Raman-OTDR har det även vistas att det är möjligt att loka lisera var vatten är i kontakt med sensorn. Genom att visa på att förlu sterna i sensorn inte beror nämnvärt på ljussignalens våglängd har vi visat att det är fritt att använda kommersiellt tillgängliga lågkostnadsljuskällor och detektorer.

Vi utredde behoven av en fibersensor i träbyggnadskonstruktioner genom besök på byggen men då behoven av en distribuerad mätteknik bedömdes som ringa inom träbyggnadsbranchen i nuläget gjordes inga fortsatta ansträngningar att utveckla koncept för installation. Utvecklingen av och testningen av en sensor i labbmiljö indikerar att fortsatt utvec kling av sensorn, eventuellt med fokus på detektion av andra ämnen än vatten, är mycket lovande.

Ett mål var att undersöka genomförbarheten av en fiberoptisk mätning av fukthalten i transformatorisolering vilket gjorts och slutsatsen är att en noggrannhet på bråkdelen av en procent är möjlig. Vi undersökte ocks å undersöka värdet och användningen av data från en sådan mätning. Genom att välja rätt sensorplacering kan modelleringen av transformatorn förbättras och på så vis kan tidigare varningar för potentiella problem erhållas. Ett tredje mål var att lägga en plan för fortsatt utveckling vilket gjorts och vi undersöker nu i
vilken form planen bör genomföras.

Resultaten från förstudien visar att det är både möjligt och motiverat att fortsätta utvecklingen mättekniken. Det är förväntat att detta leder till en implementerbar fuktmätning som kan förbättra modeller och bidra till bättre underhållsplanering av transformatorer och på sikt även en  förbättrad utformning av transformatorerna.

Arbetet har skett i samarbete mellan RISE och Hitachi Energy. RISE har utfört huvuddelen av den tekniska evalueringen, tex de spektroskopiska mätningarna. Hitachi som vill implementera tekniken har bidragit med analys om var mätningar är mest relevanta, hur datan kan användas, kravbild, samt provpreparering.

You'll find photonics almost everywhere, from cameras and traffic lights to within advanced medical equipment and telecom systems. The technologies inside the systems differ, with the common denominator that photons are used to bring intelligence to the systems. 

Course content 

The course will give a comprehensive overview of fiber optic sensor technologies and applications, and the specialty optical fiber that enables the sensors. The training provides an open forum for attendees to ask questions to experts in the field of fiber optics and a wide range of application areas.

The course also gives an overview of technical and business support measures provided by PhotonHub Europe and other photonic initiatives in the European ecosystem.

Related: Full day hands-on demonstraton course in fiber optic sensing.

You'll find photonics almost everywhere, from cameras and traffic lights to within advanced medical equipment and telecom systems. The technologies inside the systems differ, with the common denominator that photons are used to bring intelligence to the systems. 

Course content 

The course will give a comprehensive overview of nanophotonics technologies and applications. The training provides an open forum for attendees to ask questions to experts in the field of nanophotonic technologies and a wide range of application areas.

The course also gives an overview of technical and business support measures provided by PhotonHub Europe and other photonic initiatives in the European ecosystem.

Fiber optic sensors are used in demanding environments across various industries. In many cases, custom-designed optical fibers—known as specialty optical fibers—are required for specific applications.

Course Content

The goal of this course is to provide a practical demonstration of how fiber optic sensors work and to offer insight into how they can enable new products and industrial applications.

• How do fiber optic sensors work?
• What are the most common sensor types and applications?
• Why does the choice of optical fiber matter?
• Demonstration of common sensors and hands-on experimentation with the systems.

The day includes lectures, Q&A sessions, and lab demonstrations. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of fiber optic sensors and the critical factors to consider when designing a sensor for a specific application.

This training is organized as part of the EU project PhotonHub.

Related: (webinar) Fiber Optic Sensing and Specialty Fibers: Technologies and Industrial Applications

Sign up for the course

The course is held in English, on site at the RISE laboratories in Kista/Stockholm. The course can accommodate a limited number of participants.

Pls register via the 'Registration link' on this page. 

Contact us for more information.  

09-9.30, Introduction, short visit to RISE facilities

09.30-10.30: Course: Fiber sensing basics and examples
Design parameters and fabrication of specialty optical fibres. Fiber optic sensing and sensor applications. 

Fika / coffee

10.45–11.30: Hands-on in the lab: Optical fibre handling

11.30–12.15: Case study 1: Fiber coating for sensing in harsh environments
Hands on in the lab: Distributed Temperature Sensing in high-voltage environment

12.15-13.30: Lunch

13.30-14.15: Case study 2: Asset monitoring 
Hands on in the lab: Strain/shape mapping with FBGs

Fika / coffee

14.30–15.15: Case study 3: Vibration measurements using thin optical fibre cables
Hands on in the Lab: Distributed (phase) Optical Time domain Reflectometry (DAS)

15.30-17.00: Follow-up questions, discussions, and close

Optical analysis using fluorescence in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum (UVF) is a well-known method that is particularly suitable for the detection of biological substances. Trace amounts of oil is one common substance where UVF is used.

Ultraviolet fluorescence analysis

The UVF technology is relatively simple in theory: a sample is illuminated with UV radiation. The sample is first absorbing the light (excited) and then emitting light (emission via fluorescence). The fluorescence is detected and analysed. 

The fluorescence is shifted towards longer wavelengths than the incident light, which makes it easier to separate scattered light from the light source from the fluorescence being measured.

Sensors based on UVF have been developed since the 1970s and there are commercial instruments on the market. The technology is characterized by a high sensitivity, but a complication is that common biological substances such as bacteria and algae have fluorescence spectra that can overlap with spectra of the substance that you want to detect. UVF instrumentations therefore need to either have narrow specifications on the type of water or other media in which they operate effectively, or allow multispectral detection, ie emission detection and / or excitation takes place at a number of different adjustable wavelengths.

In its most general form (a so-called fluorometer), a UVF instrument becomes expensive and less suitable as an autonomous sensor in the field. This means that a product for a specific application area can often not be used for another.

Tailor-made systems for analysis directly in processes

RISE develops tailor-made systems based on multispectral UVF for analysis for field use, e.g. to detect oil in water. The development takes place together with the metal research institute Swerim.

UVF can provide a relatively high sensitivity (e.g. micrograms of oil per liter of raw water) and can also be used for distinction between different substances, if accurately  calibrated. In many cases, several spectrum are needed to ensure a reliable result. The technology is also very interesting for 'early warning systems' and to indicate is a process or sample volume needs further investigation and / or immediate action.

RISE' systems are built to contribute to the digitalisation of the processes involved. We strive for non-contact measurements that are:

• continuous,
• connected to the system, and
• used inline in the production flow.

The generic UVF technology at RISE is adapted to the customers' area of ​​application and packaged in robust prototypes that can be evaluated in the field for further product development.

RISE system for UVF

The basic components included in the RISE UVF system are shown in the picture: excitation takes place with a replaceable UV-LED and detection of the emission is done via a monochromator. The analysis system can be set to filter any wavelength in the ultraviolet and visible part of the spectrum.

Where do you need to measure?

Contact us to discuss more about what UVF can do for your particular application!

LIBS, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, is a method for quick and non-contact analysis of the chemical composition of a material, without time-consuming sample preparation. The method is also often referred to as non-destructive since such an extremely small amount of the material is needed for the analysis.

The method relies on the fact that a material that is heated to extremely high temperatures emits light that is specific to the atoms included in the material. In LIBS, a high-energy laser pulse is focused on a sample. The material then becomes so hot that the material decomposes into excited ions and atoms, into a plasma. By analyzing the light of the plasma, the characteristic atomic emission lines can be identified, giving information of the elements in the material. 

Today, LIBS is used commercially in many applications. Handheld systems are available and the technology is widely used for quality control, sorting, identification and analysis.

RISE develops LIBS equipment and analysis methods into customized solutions in e.g. metal recycling or production, together with the Swedish metals research institute Swerim.

Contact us to discuss what LIBS can do for your application!

At RISE, we have a broad expertise in photonics and experts are in many different areas of application. We conduct applied research in the field of photonics and have expertise in component and system development as well as extensive experience in developing, applying and commercializing photonics solutions in a variety of industries. We also have strong metrology resources and operate several large clean rooms and a number of test facilities supporting our research within photonics.

Photonics technologies

Other photonic technologies

Within RISE, there is a breadth and depth in photonics, also in areas such as classical optics, laser technology, spectroscopy, quantum optics, etc. If we do not have what you need internally, we can certainly refer to the right skills.

All technology that concerns generation, manipulation and detection of light is included in the concept of photonics.

Contact us for a dialogue about photonics and what photonics can do in your application.

Agricultural machines can be equipped with a Head Up Display that virtually shows valuable data from the environment and the machine's internal system

With the help of GPS, infrared camera and soil sensors, RISE has developed an information system that helps the farmer to achieve better results in his daily work via a Head Up display (HUD). A work that is often filled with crucial decisions for the year's harvests.

Purpose and goals:

In the European project ARHO (Augmented Reality - HUD Optics), the goal was to replace conventional glass optics with a new type of optics called polymer Fresnel optics (https://www.optea.com/arho/). This entails many advantages, such as lower costs, weight and size of today's Head Up Display, as well as greater opportunities for development of a wider field of view and sharpness.

Challenges

The role of RISE in the ARHO project was to develop a sensor system (e.g.GPS, infrared camera and earth sensors), visualisation software and field test. The generated data must be visualized on the Head Up Display which is displayed in the driver's field of view while driving. This information can also be combined with data from the machine's ordinary instrumentation. The technologies and sensor system was tested  on an agricultural tractor at RISE in Uppsala.

Solutions

The technology originally comes from military aviation and is called Head Up Display. Interest in HUD together with improved human-machine interfaces is spreading to civilian markets (e.g. vehicles). The concept of Augmented Reality (AR) is highly relevant and involves direct information from the physical environment via advanced technology. This in combination with the HUD provides an opportunity to improve the efficiency, safety and ergonomics of machines and vehicles.

Effect

Farmers constantly need information from the environment for the work with vehicles to be carried out in the best way. Getting valuable data from the soil, environment displayed directly in the field of view during work in the field is getting closer and closer to reality. We are approaching a commercial product with this advanced technology and sensor system described above