A variable-frequency light source is configured to emit a light beam and modulate a frequency of the light beam. A fiber optic cable is attached to the variable frequency light source. The fiber optic cable is configured to receive the light beam at an inlet and pass the light beam to an exit. Multiple optical detectors are attached to the fiber optic cable. Each of the optical detectors is configured to detect a specified frequency of light that is backscattered through the fiber optic cable. An actuation mechanism is attached to the fiber optic cable. The actuation mechanism is configured to deform the fiber optic cable in response to a stimulus.

A variable-frequency light source is configured to emit a light beam and modulate a frequency of the light beam. A fiber optic cable is attached to the variable frequency light source. The fiber optic cable is configured to receive the light beam at an inlet and pass the light beam to an exit. Multiple optical detectors are attached to the fiber optic cable. Each of the optical detectors is configured to detect a specified frequency of light that is backscattered through the fiber optic cable. An actuation mechanism is attached to the fiber optic cable. The actuation mechanism is configured to deform the fiber optic cable in response to a stimulus.

Example embodiments add an optical amplifier to an multi-channel, continuously swept OFDR measurement system, adjust amplified swept laser output power between rising and falling laser sweeps, and/or utilize portions of a laser sweep in which OFDR measurements are not typically performed to enhance the integrity of the OFDR measurement system, improve the performance and quality of OFDR measurements, and perform additional measurements and tests.

An optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) measurement is produced from an OFDR apparatus that includes a tunable laser source coupled to a sensing interferometer and a monitor interferometer. The sensing interferometer is also coupled to a waveguide, e.g., an optical sensing fiber. Sensor interferometric data obtained by the OFDR measurement is processed in the spectral domain (e.g., frequency) with one or more parameters to compensate for the optical dispersion associated with the sensing interferometer data. A Fourier Transform of the dispersion-compensated sensing interferometric data in the spectral domain is performed to provide a dispersion-compensated OFDR measurement information in the temporal (e.g., time) domain.

An optical fiber includes multiple optical cores configured in the fiber including a set of primary cores and an auxiliary core. An interferometric measurement system uses measurements from the multiple primary cores to predict a response from the auxiliary core. The predicted auxiliary core response is compared with the actual auxiliary core response to determine if they differ by more than a predetermined amount, in which case the measurements from the multiple primary cores may be deemed unreliable.

A system and method for determining an object characteristic from a timed sequence of measured characteristics wherein the object characteristic is determined based on a comparison of a current measured characteristic against a variable reference characteristic. The variable reference characteristic is selected by iterating through the timed sequenced and determining a separate quality metric for the current measured characteristic against each earlier measured characteristic and selecting the variable reference as a function of the determined quality metrics. In one embodiment, iteration continues only until an earlier measured characteristics is found with a quality metric that meets or exceeds a threshold value. In another embodiment, iteration continues through a plurality of earlier measured characteristic (perhaps all) and the variable reference is selected as the earlier measured characteristic with the highest quality metric. The measured characteristics may include OFDR measurements.

A variable-frequency light source is configured to emit a light beam and modulate a frequency of the light beam. A fiber optic cable is attached to the variable frequency light source. The fiber optic cable is configured to receive the light beam at an inlet and pass the light beam to an exit. Multiple optical detectors are attached to the fiber optic cable. Each of the optical detectors is configured to detect a specified frequency of light that is backscattered through the fiber optic cable. An actuation mechanism is attached to the fiber optic cable. The actuation mechanism is configured to deform the fiber optic cable in response to a stimulus.

A variable-frequency light source is configured to emit a light beam and modulate a frequency of the light beam. A fiber optic cable is attached to the variable frequency light source. The fiber optic cable is configured to receive the light beam at an inlet and pass the light beam to an exit. Multiple optical detectors are attached to the fiber optic cable. Each of the optical detectors is configured to detect a specified frequency of light that is backscattered through the fiber optic cable. An actuation mechanism is attached to the fiber optic cable. The actuation mechanism is configured to deform the fiber optic cable in response to a stimulus.

A variable-frequency light source is configured to emit a light beam and modulate a frequency of the light beam. A fiber optic cable is attached to the variable frequency light source. The fiber optic cable is configured to receive the light beam at an inlet and pass the light beam to an exit. Multiple optical detectors are attached to the fiber optic cable. Each of the optical detectors is configured to detect a specified frequency of light that is backscattered through the fiber optic cable. An actuation mechanism is attached to the fiber optic cable. The actuation mechanism is configured to deform the fiber optic cable in response to a stimulus.

A variable-frequency light source is configured to emit a light beam and modulate a frequency of the light beam. A fiber optic cable is attached to the variable frequency light source. The fiber optic cable is configured to receive the light beam at an inlet and pass the light beam to an exit. Multiple optical detectors are attached to the fiber optic cable. Each of the optical detectors is configured to detect a specified frequency of light that is backscattered through the fiber optic cable. An actuation mechanism is attached to the fiber optic cable. The actuation mechanism is configured to deform the fiber optic cable in response to a stimulus.