Technology That’s Ready and Able to Inspect Those Cables

About this technology

Overview

Attempting to locate a malfunctioning wire in a complex bundle of wires or in a cable that is concealed behind a wall is as difficult as trying to find a needle in a haystack. The result of such an effort can also be costly, time-consuming, and frustrating, whether it is the tedious process of examining cable connections for the Space Shuttle or troubleshooting a cable television hookup. Furthermore, other maintenance restrictions can compound the effort required to locate and repair a particular wiring problem. For example, on the Space Shuttle, once a repair is completed, all systems that have a wire passing through any of the connectors that were disconnected during troubleshooting are affected and, therefore, must undergo retesting, an arduous task that is completely unrelated to the original problem. In an effort to streamline wire inspection and maintenance, two contractors supporting NASA's Kennedy Space Center invented the Standing Wave Reflectometer (SWR) in 1999. Eclypse International Corp., further developed the SWR for use outside of NASA. The resulting technology is currently being used to test wires and cables in complex vehicle systems, and has the potential for myriad consumer-driven applications, as it features a menu-driven interface simple enough for a novice to use. In aerospace and aviation, Boeing Aircraft, Lockheed-Martin, Delta Airlines, and Continental Airlines have applied the technology. Overseas, it is ensuring the safety of U.S. troops by troubleshooting navigational problems tied to faulty wires.