Flexible Sensor Network and Its Embedded Integrated Circuits for Structural Health Monitoring

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a new technology that can be reliably used to perform on-line health monitoring of any type of structures with minimal human involvement. Current SHM systems can perform the functions required but are heavy, bulky and difficult to integrate with the structure to provide on-board real-time structural integrity assessment. Embedding of currently available sensors and electronics used by these systems into composite structures can be a challenge. Flexible hybrid devices based on Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) can conformably distribute sensors, actuators, and electronics over very large components, enable availability of instantaneous information on the structural integrity of the vehicle, and measure environmental conditions for optimum performance while adding minimal weight. Acellent Technologies Inc. and Stanford University propose to develop a SHM system using a flexible stretchable sensor network along with embedded integrated circuits that will serve as a platform to all types of sensors including strain gages, piezoelectric sensors etc. The program will utilize previous work done at Acellent and Stanford as a basis for the development and is supported by The Boeing Company. Phase I will focus on performing proof-of-concept analysis and experiments that demonstrate the feasibility of the flexible sensor network and embeddable