FBGS and FAZ Technology partnership to help market optical fiber sensors for medical devices

Fiber Bragg gratings specialist FBGS International (Geel, Belgium) has entered into a strategic partnership with ultra-high-resolution measurement devices manufacturer FAZ Technology (Dublin, Ireland), a subsidiary of Fugro NV (Leidschendam, Netherlands). Within the partnership, FBGS has exclusive rights to commercialize the FAZT interrogator platform to the medical device industry worldwide, as it has utilities in cardiology, radiology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and gastroenterology devices.

FAZT interrogators are based on a telecom tunable laser platform, with integrated electronics and embedded software that allow quick adaptation of performance parameters to fit many different sensor configurations. High-speed data acquisition and an on-board data processing enable straightforward real-time measurements with high wavelength precision (down to 0.1 pm at 1 kHz).

Access to the interrogator platform will allow FBGS to launch next-generation turnkey fiber optic sensing solutions based on the company’s new fiber developments for strain-independent temperature monitoring, high-resolution localized shape sensing, and 3D force sensing.

Investigators are exploring the sensor's benefits in force and/or temperature sensing for RF ablation catheters; compressing/pressure (high-resolution manometry) sensing in upper and lower GI catheters; temperature (cryogenic) sensing for ablation catheters; curvature and shape sensing in endoscopes and biopsy needles; and several other devices that include robotic arms and fixtures that can operate safely under high radiation fields (CT, MRI). FBGS says that additional uses for the sensors include industrial harsh environments, including oil and gas and aerospace.

For more information, please contact FBGS at [email protected].

Follow us on Twitter, 'like' us on Facebook, connect with us on Google+, and join our group on LinkedIn