Abstract: A method includes obtaining three-dimensional image data of an inside of an object having at least data of a channel of interest inside the object and deriving based on the obtained three-dimensional image data derived shape information for at least part of the channel of interest; deriving, for positions along the channel of interest, a confinement parameter expressing whether the elongated medical device will be confined at those positions in the channel of interest and obtaining measured shape information of an elongated medical device based on optical signals obtained from a multicore fiber coupled to the elongated medical device; determining a position of one or more points of the elongated medical device with respect to the three-dimensional image data by mapping a portion of the measured shape information of the elongated medical device with a portion of the derived shape information for at least part of the channel of interest.

Abstract: A fiber-optic system for use in optical sensing includes a multicore sensing fiber having at least two cores of which each of the at least two cores has a first core diameter, and a multicore lead-in fiber having at least two cores including a position corresponding with the position of the at least two cores of the multicore sensing fiber. Each of the at least two cores of the multicore lead-in fiber have a second core diameter. The second core diameter is substantially larger than the first core diameter. The system further includes an alignment means for aligning the multicore sensing fiber and the multicore lead-in fiber so that the lead-in fiber and the multicore sensing fiber are configured for coupling radiation between the fibers through the cores.

Abstract: A fiber-optic system for use in optical sensing includes a multicore sensing fiber having at least two cores of which each of the at least two cores has a first core diameter, and a multicore lead-in fiber having at least two cores including a position corresponding with the position of the at least two cores of the multicore sensing fiber. Each of the at least two cores of the multicore lead-in fiber have a second core diameter. The second core diameter is substantially larger than the first core diameter. The system further includes an alignment means for aligning the multicore sensing fiber and the multicore lead-in fiber so that the lead-in fiber and the multicore sensing fiber are configured for coupling radiation between the fibers through the cores.

Abstract: A measurement system for assisting in guiding an elongated medical device in a body is described. The measurement system comprises a multicore fiber for insertion into an elongated medical device such that a position of the tip of the multicore fiber corresponds with a position near the tip of the elongated medical device, the multicore fiber comprising a plurality of cores, and a measurement device being adapted for determining, based on the optical signals measured from the multicore fiber, a known shape applied to the multicore fiber, and for deriving based thereon, a length of the portion of the multicore fiber that has been introduced in the body or a position of the multicore fiber in the body.

Abstract: A system for interrogating sensors in a fiber optical sensor network includes groups of sensors. The sensors in one group operate at different wavelengths, and the sensors of other groups may have overlapping wavelengths. A light source generates a broadband light signal, input and output means for guides the broadband light to the fiber optical sensor network for illuminating the sensors and for coupling the light signal coming from the sensors of the fiber optical sensor network to the detection system, and a detection system detects the received light signal, during a detection integration time. The system is arranged for selecting pre-dominantly the received light coming from the different sensors of a selected group of sensors using a code-division multiplexing technique and simultaneously detecting sensors of the selected group of sensors using a wavelength-division multiplexing technique.

Abstract: A system for producing an optical fiber with inscribed grating array is described. The system comprises a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing an optical fiber, a writing system for inscribing a grating in the optical fiber during the drawing process of the optical fiber and a controller for controlling the driving of the writing system. According to the present invention the fiber drawing apparatus also comprises a fiber length and/or drawing detecting means for determining the fiber length and/or fiber drawing speed and/or a fiber drawing parameter during the drawing process. The controller thereby is configured for capturing information from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means and for controlling the writing system based on the captured information captured from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means.

Abstract: A system for producing an optical fiber with inscribed grating array is described. The system comprises a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing an optical fiber, a writing system for inscribing a grating in the optical fiber during the drawing process of the optical fiber and a controller for controlling the driving of the writing system. According to the present invention the fiber drawing apparatus also comprises a fiber length and/or drawing detecting means for determining the fiber length and/or fiber drawing speed and/or a fiber drawing parameter during the drawing process. The controller thereby is configured for capturing information from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means and for controlling the writing system based on the captured information captured from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means.

Abstract: A measurement system for assisting in guiding a tubular-shaped medical device in a body includes a multicore fiber for insertion into a tubular-shaped medical device such that a position of the tip of the multicore fiber corresponds with a position near the tip of the tubular medical device. A plurality of Bragg gratings is inscribed in the multicore fiber. The plurality of Bragg gratings is spaced apart from each other and positioned along the length of the multicore fiber. A measurement device for reading out optical signals is obtained as a function of a total length of a multicore fiber portion inserted in the body. The measurement device is adapted for deriving shape information of the multicore fiber when the multicore fiber is inserted.

Abstract: A sensor system for sensing pressure of a first fluid (e.g. a liquid and/or gas) comprises an optical sensing fiber that is configured for sensing pressure, and at least one sensor housing embedding the optical sensing fiber. The sensor housing is filled with a second fluid. The sensor housing comprises a non-hermetic pressure transfer medium comprised in the sensor system and positioned in the sensor housing such that a pressure of the first fluid can be transferred via the pressure transfer medium onto the second fluid towards the optical sensing fiber for determining based thereon a pressure of the first fluid.

Abstract: A system for interrogating sensors in a fiber optical sensor network includes groups of sensors. The sensors in one group operate at different wavelengths, and the sensors of other groups may have overlapping wavelengths. A light source generates a broadband light signal, input and output means for guides the broadband light to the fiber optical sensor network for illuminating the sensors and for coupling the light signal coming from the sensors of the fiber optical sensor network to the detection system, and a detection system detects the received light signal, during a detection integration time. The system is arranged for selecting pre-dominantly the received light coming from the different sensors of a selected group of sensors using a code-division multiplexing technique and simultaneously detecting sensors of the selected group of sensors wavelength-division multiplexing technique.

Abstract: A fiber-optic system for use in optical sensing includes a multicore sensing fiber having at least two cores of which each of the at least two cores has a first core diameter, and a multicore lead-in fiber having at least two cores including a position corresponding with the position of the at least two cores of the multicore sensing fiber. Each of the at least two cores of the multicore lead-in fiber have a second core diameter. The second core diameter is substantially larger than the first core diameter. The system further includes an alignment means for aligning the multicore sensing fiber and the multicore lead-in fiber so that the lead-in fiber and the multicore sensing fiber are configured for coupling radiation between the fibers through the cores.

Abstract: An optical system comprises a multicore fiber comprising at least two cores of which each core comprises at least one Fiber Bragg Grating. The optical system also comprises a force transducing element being bendable in one or more directions and being fixed to the multicore fiber so as to transduce force applied to the force transducing element to the multicore fiber, resulting into a bending and/or compression and/or tension of the multicore fiber. The multicore fiber is connectable or connected to a measurement system for optically measuring the response of at least one Fiber Bragg Grating, for each of at least 2 cores of the multicore fiber, as a result of the multicore fiber bending and/or compression and/or tension for deriving a characteristic of the force acting on the position of the force transducing element of the optical system.

Abstract: A system for producing an optical fiber with inscribed grating array is described. The system comprises a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing an optical fiber, a writing system for inscribing a grating in the optical fiber during the drawing process of the optical fiber and a controller for controlling the driving of the writing system. According to the present invention the fiber drawing apparatus also comprises a fiber length and/or drawing detecting means for determining the fiber length and/or fiber drawing speed and/or a fiber drawing parameter during the drawing process. The controller thereby is configured for capturing information from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means and for controlling the writing system based on the captured information captured from the fiber length and/or drawing detecting means.

Abstract: A sensor system for sensing pressure of a first fluid (e.g. a liquid and/or gas) comprises an optical sensing fiber that is configured for sensing pressure, and at least one sensor housing embedding the optical sensing fiber. The sensor housing is filled with a second fluid. The sensor housing comprises a non-hermetic pressure transfer medium comprised in the sensor system and positioned in the sensor housing such that a pressure of the first fluid can be transferred via the pressure transfer medium onto the second fluid towards the optical sensing fiber for determining based thereon a pressure of the first fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for detecting and locating fluid leakage from a hydraulic work, the device being characterized in that it comprises a geotextile fabric (12) made of yarns or fibers and provided with: at least one first optical cable (14) in contact with said geotextile (12) and formed by a protective tube within which at least one multimode optical fiber (141) is placed, said multimode optical fiber (141) being suitable for detecting a temperature variation and transmitting a signal that is modified when temperature varies and at least one second optical cable formed by a sheath receiving tightly at least one monomode optical fiber (142) suitable for detecting a deformation of the geotextile (12) and for transmitting a signal that is modified when the deformation is detected in that said second optical cable being bonded to the geotextile (12). The invention is applicable to detecting and locating leakage from hydraulic works.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for detecting and locating fluid leakage from a hydraulic work, the device being characterized in that it comprises a geotextile fabric (12) made of yarns or fibers and provided with: at least one first optical cable (14) in contact with said geotextile (12) and formed by a protective tube within which at least one multimode optical fiber (141) is placed, said multimode optical fiber (141) being suitable for detecting a temperature variation and transmitting a signal that is modified when temperature varies and at least one second optical cable formed by a sheath receiving tightly at least one monomode optical fiber (142) suitable for detecting a deformation of the geotextile (12) and for transmitting a signal that is modified when the deformation is detected in that said second optical being bonded to the geotextile (12). The invention is applicable to detecting and locating leakage from hydraulic works.

Abstract: A process for locating and measuring deformation in a civil engineering structure wherein at least one geosynthetic fabric (1) containing a plurality of optical fibers (2a to 2e) in parallel and capable of transmitting signals is applied in the structure or under the structure. The optical fibers contain Bragg gratings (3), evenly spaced in series (4) of N1 consecutive gratings that correspond to the same wavelength. The series is distributed in identical sets, each of which contains N2 consecutive series that correspond to the different wavelengths, and, in at least two optical fibers, the numbers N1 of gratings of a series and the numbers N2 of series (4) of a set (5) are determined to locate the deformations to which the structure is subjected on the one hand and, on the other, to measure the elongation of the said optical fibers where the deformation occurs.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for locating and measuring deformation in a civil engineering structure, characterised by the fact that at least one geosynthetic fabric (1) containing a plurality of optical fibres (2a to 2e) in parallel and capable of transmitting signals is applied in the said structure or under the said structure, the said optical fibres containing Bragg gratings (3), evenly spaced in series (4) of N1 consecutive gratings that correspond to the same wavelength, the said series being themselves distributed in identical sets, each of which contains N2 consecutive series that correspond to the different wavelengths, and by the fact that, in at least two optical fibres, the numbers N1 of gratings of a series and the numbers N2 of series (4) of a set (5) are determined in such as way that the measurement of the differences between the wavelengths of the incident light transmitted in each of the said optical fibres and the wavelengths of the light reflected by the Bragg gratings enable to locat