Issued patent
In Situ Performance Monitoring of Piezoelectric Sensors and Accelerometers
An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.
About this technology
Overview
An in situ measurement system for monitoring the performance of piezoelectric sensors, particularly accelerometers, was developed. With this technology, characteristics such as resonant frequency, response, cable status, connectivity, bonding and linear range, can be determined. Sensors can be tested in a very wide frequency range, extending to 200 MHz and beyond, without removing them from their mounted locations, and without requiring specially constructed transducers or special wiring. Assessments can be performed in situ, and can be conducted with hand held test equipment or integrated into instrumentation systems. With this monitoring system, degraded sensor performance can be quickly and economically identified with a handheld unit or integrated directly into test equipment.