News Release

Distinctive advantages give optical sensors the edge over conventional systems

Technical Insights optical sensors analysis

Business Announcement

Technical Insights

Palo Alto, Calif. --August 13, 2003--Fiber-optic sensors offer a wide spectrum of advantages over traditional sensing systems, such as small size and longer lifetime. Immunity to electromagnetic interference, amenability to multiplexing, and high sensitivity make fiber optics the sensor technology of choice in several fields, including the healthcare and aerospace sectors.

Optical systems require physically smaller media for representing information than is required by magnetic or electronic systems. This requirement gives them an edge over conventional devices. The greater bandwidth of optics enables delivery of more data, which is useful for high-speed data transmission or high-resolution video transmission.

"Optical sensors are not only replacing conventional sensors in many areas in science, engineering, and medicine but researchers are also creating new kinds of sensors that have unique properties," notes Technical Insights Analyst Joe Constance. "These properties relate to the ability of the sensors to measure physical, chemical, and biological phenomena."

Electromagnetic interference can corrupt data transmitted from a conventional thermocouple. Fiber-optic sensors, on the other hand, show greater resistance than thermocouples to hostile environments and electromagnetic interference. These characteristics make them an ideal choice as temperature sensors in many applications. Scientists have been working on a fiber-optic sensor that measures temperature using a reflector, which can be used in industrial power plants, nuclear plant, aircrafts, and ships.

"Researchers are intent on further improving the bond between the fiber and the reflector, as well as reducing the required electronics for data acquisition and analysis," states Constance.

Recent advances in fiber optics and the numerous advantages of light over electronic systems have boosted the utility and demand for optical sensors in an array of industries. Environmental and atmospheric monitoring, earth and space sciences, industrial chemical processing and biotechnology, law enforcement, digital imaging, scanning, and printing are only some of them.

The ubiquity of photonic technologies could drive down prices as they have done in the telecommunications market, which reduced the cost of optical fibers and lasers.

New analysis by Technical Insights, a business unit of Frost & Sullivan (http://www.Technical-Insights.frost.com), Optical Sensors, provides valuable insights into the recent technical advances in different types of fiber-optic sensors. It also describes the components used in optical fiber sensing, sensor design, and the role of integrated optics in sensing.

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Technical Insights will hold a conference call at 1:00 p.m. (EDT)/ 10:00 a.m. (PDT) on August 20, 2003 to provide a summary and analysis of the latest developments of optical sensors. Those interested in participating in the call should send an email to Julia Paulson at jpaulson@frost.com with the following information for registration:

Full name, Company Name, Title, Contact Tel Number, Contact Fax Number, Email. Upon receipt of the above information, a confirmation/pass code for the live briefing will be emailed to you.

Frost & Sullivan is a global leader in strategic growth consulting. Acquired by Frost & Sullivan, Technical Insights is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters, and reports. This ongoing growth opportunity analysis of optical sensors is covered in Sensor Technology Alert, a Technical Insights subscription service, and in Photonic Technologies, a Frost & Sullivan Technical Insights technology report. Technical Insights and Frost & Sullivan also offer custom growth consulting to a variety of national and international companies. Executive summaries and interviews are available to the press.

Contact:

USA:
Julia Paulson
P: 210-247-3870
F: 210-348-1003
E: jpaulson@frost.com

APAC:
Pramila Gurtoo
DID: 603-6204 5811
Gen: 603-6204 5800
Fax: 603-6201 7402
E: pgurtoo@frost.com

http://www.frost.com

http://www.technicalinsights.frost.com


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