Imagine if the internet cables already buried underground could also act as a giant nervous system. This technology lets those cables feel vibrations, heat, and pressure without needing to dig them up. It uses smart software and lasers to turn a simple data wire into a high-tech sensor for the whole city.
Existing fiber optic sensors are niche and expensive because they lack flexibility and modularity. Most installed fiber cables only carry data, wasting the potential to monitor the environment they are buried in.
A software-defined sensor platform, new laser types, and ML-based signal processing tools integrated into a cloud-based monitoring system.
If you are a power grid operator dealing with overheating or physical damage to powerlines — this project developed a sensing system that uses temperature and acoustic data to monitor the status of lines. This allows for faster fault detection without installing new sensors every few meters.
If you are a network provider dealing with accidental cable cuts from heavy machinery or fire — this project developed a monitoring platform that detects external impacts threatening fiber integrity. This helps secure unmanned network sites and reduces downtime.
If you are a water utility company dealing with invisible underground leaks — this project developed a distributed acoustic sensing tool that detects leaks by listening for specific sound changes. This reduces water waste and prevents sinkholes.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost-per-kilometer figures are not provided.
The project focuses on using already installed fiber infrastructure, which suggests high scalability potential for urban environments.
Based on available project data, the IP and licensing terms are not specified in the summary.
The project is developing cloud-based interfacing and a centralized processing unit to integrate all sensory input data.
The project period runs from 2022-12-01 to 2026-11-30, suggesting the technology is currently in the development and validation phase.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, consisting of 8 partners with a 50% industry ratio (4 industrial partners). The presence of an SME coordinator and partners from 4 different countries (CY, DE, DK, EE) suggests a strong mix of academic research and practical industrial application.
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