Abstract: Techniques for protecting a sensor from an obstruction such as liquid are discussed herein. For instance, a sensor cover assembly can include a cover to protect a sensor from precipitation, contaminants, or other obstructions. The cover of the sensor cover assembly can be configured to direct an obstruction (e.g., a liquid) away from a lens of the sensor (e.g., a ring lens of a lidar sensor) to reduce obstructions to a field of view of the sensor. The cover can include one or more channels (e.g., a trough, a downspout, a gutter, etc.) or shapes (e.g., a curved surface, a sloped surface, a convex surface, etc.) to divert the obstruction away from the lens of the sensor.

Abstract: Techniques for detecting an obstruction associated with a lidar sensor are discussed herein. For example, a computing device can implement an obstruction detection component to detect rain, mud, dirt, dust, snow, ice, animal droppings, etc., on and/or near an outer surface of the lidar sensor. The obstruction detection component can apply one or more heuristics and/or models to the lidar data and/or compare pulse information associated with the lidar data to a threshold to determine a size, a type, or a location of an obstruction blocking a lidar beam.

Abstract: A method of poling and calibrating electro-optic fibers is disclosed. Metal electrodes are used to utilize the electro-optic effect to impart phase delays to the optical signal. Moreover, one or more electrodes may be used for heating of the device to reach softening temperatures of the electro-optic material, which allows easy, effective and efficient poling of the electro-optic material. A method based on continuous or periodic optical feedback is used to automatically calibrate the electro-optic device when its performance degrades with time to relaxation of molecular orientations.

Abstract: A method of poling and calibrating electro-optic fibers is disclosed. Metal electrodes are used to utilize the electro-optic effect to impart phase delays to the optical signal. Moreover, one or more electrodes may be used for heating of the device to reach softening temperatures of the electro-optic material, which allows easy, effective and efficient poling of the electro-optic material. A method based on continuous or periodic optical feedback is used to automatically calibrate the electro-optic device when its performance degrades with time to relaxation of molecular orientations.

Abstract: An optical fiber-based sensor assembly in the form of a cable assembly that can measure at least both pressure characteristics and temperature characteristics of a pressurized fluid in a channel in which the sensor cable assembly is disposed.