APPLICATIONS
Our High-Resolution Distributed Acoustic Sensing (HR-DAS) and conventional DAS (xDAS) technologies provide spatially continuous, real-time measurements of strain-rate and acoustic activity along optical fibres. By capturing subtle vibrational and structural responses with high precision, these systems enable a range of scientific, engineering, and security applications. HR-DAS supports high-fidelity data acquisition for complex monitoring tasks, including assessing the structural behaviour of civil infrastructure and studying the mechanical properties of composite materials. xDAS extends these capabilities to broader sensing scales, enabling dense seismic imaging for geophysical studies, continuous perimeter and border security monitoring, and real-time detection of leaks and integrity issues in oil and gas pipelines. With applications spanning energy, aerospace, defence, geoscience, and infrastructure, our technologies provide actionable insights into dynamic processes, supporting research, operational safety, and system reliability.
SENSIPHI FROM VIBRATION TO VISION
For high-density mapping of strain distribution, where achieving superior spatial and temporal resolution is of paramount importance
HR-DAS
Civil Engineering
HR-DAS can transform structural health monitoring in civil engineering by converting a ULEB fibre into continuous arrays of high-resolution strain and vibration sensors. Deployed along bridges, embankments, tunnels, and buildings, the system captures vibrations caused by, e.g. traffic to detect early signs of cracks or material defects in concrete, steel, or FRP structures. With centimetre-scale spatial resolution, HR-DAS provides real-time, high-fidelity insights into structural integrity. It eliminates the blind spots of traditional point sensors, enabling full-field coverage across entire structures. Its ability to classify critical threats, such as abnormal loading or structural degradation, while filtering out ambient noise, supports proactive maintenance, extends infrastructure lifespan, and enhances public safety. Primary Applications • Structural vibration detection: Continuously monitors vibrational patterns induced by traffic, construction activity, and environmental forces to assess structural behaviour. • Crack & defect monitoring: Detects abnormal acoustic signatures that indicate the early onset of cracks, delamination, or material degradation in concrete, steel, or FRP structures. • Dynamic load assessment: Analyses the real-time structural response to live and transient loads, enabling ongoing evaluation of structural health and performance. Why it matters • Full-Field coverage: Provides continuous monitoring along the entire length of deployed fibre, eliminating blind spots—ideal for bridges, tunnels, dams, and embankments. • Accurate defect classification: Advanced signal processing can be used to distinguish between genuine structural anomalies and benign environmental noise. • Cost & Maintenance Efficiency: Enables high-density sensing over long spans using a single fibre and interrogation unit, significantly reducing both installation and operational costs compared to conventional point-sensor networks. • Rapid, Actionable Insight: High spatial and temporal resolution allows instant event detection and precise localisation, supporting quick diagnostics, maintenance actions, and safety interventions. • Environmental Resilience: Leverages passive, power-free fibre that can be installed in remote or harsh environments with minimal upkeep requirements.
Blast Wave Analysis
HR-DAS offers a new approach to blast wave measurement and analysis by converting standard optical fibres into dense arrays of high-speed pressure sensors. By capturing pressure-induced strain responses along the fibre, HR-DAS enables the reconstruction of blast overpressure profiles with centimetre-scale spatial resolution and sampling rates up to 1,000 kHz. Unlike conventional point-based pressure sensors, HR-DAS provides thousands of simultaneous measurement points along a single fibre, enabling distributed mapping of blast pressures across large areas. This capability has significant implications for defence research, protective structure design, and blast injury studies, where high-density, real-time pressure profiling is critical. Primary Applications • Blast Pressure Mapping: Captures high-resolution spatial and temporal strain data to reconstruct blast overpressure fields. • Protective Structure Assessment: Evaluates how shock waves interact with buildings, vehicles, and protective barriers. • Explosive Testing: Supports controlled blast experiments for defence and security applications. • Blast Injury Research: Enables detailed pressure mapping to improve safety standards and protective equipment design. Why it matters • Full-Field Pressure Profiling: Provides thousands of measurement points from a single fibre, eliminating blind spots. • High Temporal Resolution: Sampling rates up to 1,000 kHz enable accurate capture of rapid shock front dynamics. •Cost-Effective Instrumentation: Reduces the need for multiple expensive piezoelectric sensors and high-speed DAQs. • Flexible & Lightweight Deployment: Fibres are small, passive, and easily embedded in field test sites or protective structures. • Scalable for Defense & Security: Suitable for large-scale experiments and real-time monitoring of blast environments.
Aerospace
High-Resolution Distributed Acoustic Sensing (HR-DAS) can transform structural health monitoring in aerospace by converting a ULEB fibre into a dense array of strain gauges. When embedded or surface-mounted on components of launch vehicles, satellites, or aircraft, HR-DAS can detect early-stage damage such as microcracks, delamination, and material fatigue through acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. It also enables guided wave (GW) analysis to track progressive degradation. With centimetre-scale spatial resolution and sampling rates up to 1,000 kHz, HR-DAS can provide a full-field spatiotemporal map of strain distribution across complex geometries throughout all mission phases, from ground testing to launch, re-entry, and landing. This capability enables faster post-flight inspections, reduces turnaround times, and significantly enhances mission safety and reliability. Primary Applications • Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Monitoring: Detection of structural anomalies post-landing. • Cryogenic Tank Integrity Assessment: Detects thermal-induced fractures, delamination, and stress-induced defects in composite and metallic tanks. • Satellite Vibration and Shock Testing: Captures full-field structural responses during environmental qualification tests. • Impact and Foreign Object Damage Detection: Localises debris strikes or ground-handling impacts in real time. • Flight-Phase Telemetry: Enables in-flight monitoring of strain, stress, and dynamic loading to validate designs and improve safety margins. Why it matters • Full-Field Structural Insights: Thousands of sensing points eliminate blind spots, enabling comprehensive monitoring of complex aerospace structures. • Early Damage Detection: Identifies small cracks, delamination, and other defects before they become critical, improving safety and reliability. • Lightweight & Non-Intrusive: A single optical fibre adds negligible mass and integrates seamlessly with advanced materials. • Real-Time Diagnostics: Can provide instant detection, localisation, and classification of structural anomalies for rapid decision-making. • Reduced Inspection Time & Costs: Minimises reliance on manual inspections and traditional NDT, accelerating turnaround. • Scalable Across Platforms: Applicable to launch vehicles, satellites, and next-generation aircraft, supporting broad aerospace adoption.
Flow Analysis
HR-DAS enables detailed flow analysis by converting standard optical fibres into dense arrays of virtual acoustic sensors capable of detecting and localising minute pressure and vibration changes along the length of a pipeline or flow channel. By analysing the acoustic signatures generated by structural vibrations induced by the flowing medium, HR-DAS can infer key flow characteristics such as velocity profiles. This continuous, distributed measurement approach provides spatially resolved flow data without intrusive probes, making it ideal for harsh or inaccessible environments.
For distributed monitoring of vibrations and strain over long distances, where broad coverage and reliable detection are key
xDAS
Pipeline Monitoring
For pipelines spanning several tens of kilometres, xDAS delivers continuous acoustic monitoring using existing fibre optics. It can identify leaks through high-frequency "hissing" signals, detect third-party interference (e.g., excavation and illegal tapping points) and monitor environmental stresses such as landslides or soil movement. With sensitivity down to 500 pico-strain, xDAS pinpoints anomalies across distances up to 90 km per unit, enabling operators to prevent incidents and costly repairs. Primary Applications •Leak detection: picking up local acoustic signals caused by fluid escaping under pressure. •Third-party Intrusion: sensing mechanical disturbances from digging or vehicular activity near buried pipes. •Natural Hazard Monitoring: Flags ground movement, subsidence, or seismic stress that might affect pipeline integrity. Why it matters •Long Sensing Range: A single interrogator can monitor extensive pipeline sections, with ranges of up to 90 km. •Quick Incident Prevention: By detecting anomalies early, xDAS helps prevent major pipeline damage and expensive repairs. •Efficient Setup: Leverages existing fibre reduces deployment complexity and cost substantially. •Environmental resilience: Passive cables require no power and can be deployed across remote terrain.
Geophysics
xDAS transforms buried or seabed fibre optic cables into vast seismic arrays for geophysical exploration and natural hazard detection. It captures seismic events (earthquakes, tsunamis, tremors) and ambient noise to generate high-resolution subsurface tomography maps and fault slip analyses. Its broadband sensitivity (0.001 Hz – 20 kHz) and passive operation make it ideal for monitoring remote or harsh environments. By providing real-time ground-motion data, xDAS supports early warning systems and enhances resource exploration accuracy. Primary Applications •Seismic event detection: including earthquakes, landslides, and subsurface fault slips. •Ambient noise tomography: continuous ambient acoustic recording to build subsurface imaging and fault mapping. •Volcanic activity monitoring: xDAS enables real-time detection of volcanic gas degassing, tremor pulses, and ground deformation, enhancing early warning capabilities and complementing traditional monitoring networks. •Continuous remote sensing: xDAS systems can be deployed in harsh and remote environments, such as glaciers, deserts, and boreholes, where installing and maintaining conventional sensors is challenging and expensive. Why it matters •Environmental resilience: passive cables require no power and can be deployed across remote terrain. •Vast Coverage: A single fibre can provide continuous measurements over several tens of kilometres with metre-scale spatial resolution, enabling seismic monitoring across entire regions with unprecedented coverage density. •Efficient Use of Existing Fibre Networks: Repurpose existing fibre assets quickly and cost-effectively.
Subsea Cable Monitoring
xDAS can use fibres in undersea power cables to monitor their condition. It detects anchor drags, cable strain, and mechanical failures across the entire asset length, 24/7. This approach leverages existing cables for zero-deployment-cost coverage. Surface-based interrogators enable remote operation, offering critical insights into seafloor hazards while eliminating the need for subsea power or additional sensors. Primary Applications •Seafloor hazard detection: identifies anchor drags, cable strain, or external impacts. •Vibration tracking: early warning of mechanical stress or damage to subsea assets. Why it matters •Full asset coverage with no blind spots using existing fibres in cables. •24/7 remote operation: interrogator remains surface-based, no underwater power needed. •Environmental resilience: passive cables require no power and can be deployed across remote terrain.
Railway Monitoring
xDAS can be deployed along rail networks to enable real-time acoustic monitoring of tracks, trains, and potential intrusions. It can detect trespassing and tampering, classify train types (freight vs. passenger), identify wheel defects, and capture ground vibrations with geo-location accuracy of up to 1 meter. By integrating AI-enhanced analysis, the system can distinguish genuine threats from false alarms (e.g., animals), supporting safer operations, predictive maintenance, and reduced service disruptions across extensive rail corridors. Primary Applications • Intrusion Detection: Identifies tampering and trespassing along the rail network. • Train Traffic Analysis: Detects wheel impacts, rail joints, and classifies train types (freight vs. passenger). • Rockfall and Treefall Detection: Identifies hazardous events, such as falling rocks or trees, that may obstruct the tracks. Why it matters •Real-time event detection: Provides live monitoring with precise geo-location across distances of up to 90 km per unit. •Sophisticated event classification: Can be programmed with AI/ML models and large datasets to distinguish genuine threats from animals or benign disturbances. •Environmental resilience: Utilises passive fibre cables that require no power and can be deployed across remote and challenging terrain.
Perimeter Security & Border Surveillance
xDAS enables border surveillance and perimeter security for sensitive sites by turning fibre optics into acoustic fences. It detects human footsteps, vehicle crossings, digging, or climbing attempts with no blind zones. Our xDAS can be programmed with AI algorithms, trained on real-world data, to achieve low false-alarm rates -1 while providing ~1-meter geolocation accuracy. Primary Applications •Deployment of Linear Ground Detection Systems (LGDS) in collaboration with national authorities. •Real-time detection of human activity, vehicle crossings, digging, climbing, or fence tampering. •Continuous coverage of extended borders or fences using existing fibre infrastructure with zero blind spots. Why it matters • Persistent Wide-Area Coverage: Monitors tens of kilometres of perimeter with high spatial resolution. • Concealed & Covert: Fibre can be buried underground, providing stealthy, tamper-resistant security without visible installations. • Cost-Effective Protection: While initial setup costs may exceed those of patrols or barriers, long-term operational costs are far lower due to exceptional durability, minimal maintenance, and a 20+ year lifecycle. • Smart Drone Integration: Seamlessly integrates with drone systems for visual verification of alarms, reducing false positives and enabling faster, smarter responses. • Environmental Resilience: Uses passive, power-free fibre cables that can be deployed across remote or challenging terrains.