Fraunhofer IPT develops fiber-optic sensors for challenging measurement tasks such as measuring the smallest of boreholes. Using fiber-integrated beam steering and shaping, individual sensors up to a diameter of 80 microns can be manufactured. Our global manufacturing network for fiber optic sensors in Ayabe (Japan), Shanghai (China) and Nufringen (Germany) focuses on continuously optimising methods for small and large volume production, applying stringent quality control procedures, and expanding production portfolio and flexibility to. This perspective article delves into the current performance limitations of distributed optical fiber sensors and proposes avenues for future advancements, as envisioned by the author, whose four-decade-long career has been dedicated to this transformative field. In 2023, researchers turned submarine cables into earthquake warning systems and gave electric vehicles “optical nerves” to prevent battery failures. Fibers have many uses in remote sensing.
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