Research Assistant: Development of Fiber-optic Sensing Systems
Current Efforts
Development of fiber optic condition-based management system – DoD-Funded
In this effort, we are developing a fiber-optic condition-based management platform that addresses the Navy’s need for an intelligent, adaptable, reconfigurable, scalable, expandable, reliable, compact, and affordable means of passively and actively monitoring temperature, strain, vibration, and acoustic emissions, and that is capable of characterizing material anomalies and fatigue to predict time-to-inspection, time-to-maintenance, and remaining useful life of a monitored structure and/or component.
Development of a fiber-optic sensing system for a next-gen. Mars Lander – NASA-Funded
In this effort we are conducting preliminary analysis and design of a distributed fiber-optic sensing system for a thermal protection system heat shield for a post-2020 Mars lander mission. The sensors must be able to withstand large thermal and pressure dynamic range in a deep spaceflight environment. The system must be compact, rugged, and must exhibit low power consumption. Tasks here include evaluating high-performance integrated optical components, exploration of and implementation of demodulation algorithms, and design of a custom sensor network.
Job Description
We are looking for an EE/CompE intern to start immediately to assist in addressing the above-outlined efforts.
Job Duties:
- Interface to hardware from embedded systems
- Develop and implement automation control code for testing fiber sensors in various applications
- Assemble and test fiber optic networks
- Instrument test fixtures with electronic and fiber sensors
- Assist in developing DSP for sensor demodulation
This position is full-time during the summer and part-time during the school year, with the potential to transition to full-time permanent employment upon graduation. We are considering Juniors and Seniors pursuing their BSEE/BSCompE or persons pursuing their MSEE/MSCompE.
Desired Skills / Background
Overview
Due to the breadth of disciplines exhibited among the tasks we need to accomplish, we don’t expect to find a perfect match between tasks and skillset / background a given candidate may bring.
The most important characteristics we are looking for are:
- dedication / hard work / integrity
- ability to quickly learn a -lot- of new stuff
- self-starter / capable of taking a given task to completion with little oversight
- excellent communication skills
- desire to obtain a deep understanding of the technology and associated challenges and solutions
Generic Skills We’re Looking For
- Linux proficiency
- Matlab proficiency
- Digital signal processing background
- Understanding of / experience with standard laboratory equipment
Desirable Skills / Background
A given task will require a small subset of the following skills/background. As such, we’re not looking for all of the following in one candidate.
- Optical Engineering Background (esp. lasers, fiber-optics, optical sensors)
- Controls Systems Background
- VHDL/Verilog Proficiency
- Interdisciplinary Background (Mechanical Engineering and EE; Physics and EE)
Who We Are
Sequent Logic, LLC develops custom software-defined radio (SDR) and fiber-optic sensing solutions using the latest technologies, tools, and techniques.
Our primary role in developing SDR technology is to perform data processing, acquisition, and waveform synthesis with higher throughput, wider bandwidth, greater parallelization, and improved SWaP-C relative to our competitors. Our capability spans hardware, HDL, firmware, and software among FPGA, SoC, GPU and CPU targets in embedded, standalone, and data center environments.
We also develop distributed fiber-optic sensing technologies that yield unmatched sample rate, sensing length, and sensitivity.
Sequent Logic was founded in 2014 and is rapidly growing. The engineering problems we solve are difficult and engaging, and are impactful in industry segments such as renewable energy, aerospace, and defense. Current clients include NASA, DoD, and DoE.