May 2019 Vol. 74 No. 5
Newsline
FOSA Urges ‘Smart Infrastructure’ Technology
The Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA) has urged House and Senate Committees to incorporate advanced technologies that will help make the nation’s infrastructure safer, more resilient and longer lasting.
In letters to the leadership of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, FOSA said that a critical “smart infrastructure” technology is fiber optic sensing, used around the world to monitor the condition and integrity of many critical infrastructure assets. The fiber optic cable buried next to or attached to the infrastructure acts as a sensor that provides earlier warning of potential issues or monitors the activity along the asset, helping with safety and efficiency.
According to FOSA Director Mark Uncapher, “Incorporating a fiber optic cable and sensing into the nation’s infrastructure will enhance safety, improve physical
integrity, lower maintenance costs and increase resilience. The same fiber optic cable can also provide high bandwidth data backbones, meaning the United States can leverage infrastructure investments for better national connectivity.”
FOSA is a non-profit organization created in Washington, DC in 2017 with the mission of educating industry, government and the public on the benefits of fiber optic sensing. Through webinars, videos, white papers, public presentations and public policy advocacy, the organization provides information on the use of fiber optic sensing to secure critical facilities, enhance public safety and protect the environment.
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