Abstract: A system and method for evaluating flexible structures such as textiles under load generally. A specific embodiment is shown for parachutes. A plurality of first sensors and second sensors are attached to the parachute on its canopy and suspension lines. Preferred first sensors are fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) type sensors, and preferred second sensors are modal power distribution (MPD) type sensors. A fiber optic network interconnects the pluralities of first and second sensors to provide sensor outputs which are converted to electronic signals, modulated and transmitted to a receiving station for receiving and processing the transmitted modulated electronic signals. The preferred fiber optic network includes a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned at one end of each fibers and a photodiode array positioned to receive light from each of the fibers.

Abstract: A storage system based on the propagation delay of light is disclosed which utilizes an array of fiber optics to store the information. The storage device is configured as two loops. Data is injected from one loop and data is continuously recirculated for storage in the other loop. A pulsed laser provides the clocked energy source and is split for use, both, in recirculating the data, and for new data injection. Multiple channels of light are extracted by using a diffraction grating. The source may be interrupted to erase data in the recirculating memory. Recirculation takes place over a single strand fiber optics coil of any length. Multiple frequency encoded channels of data are multiplexed into the single strand of fiber optic with an integrating lens and the channels are decoupled on the other end with a diffraction grating. To prevent compounding signal degradation, optical switches are used to regenerate the signal at each pass through the loop.