Technology

Albido is focused on using Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensors as the primary means of monitoring relevant physical parameters such as temperature, strain, pressure, and torque in mechanical structures such as rotating machinery (motors, generators, pumps, gear systems, etc.), jet engine blades, helicopter rotor blades, windmill blades and also stationary structures such as buildings, bridges, etc. A key feature of Albido’s technology is that information is transmitted wirelessly to a central data processing facility. Depending on the transmission distance and the required transmission rate, a particular frequency and encoding technology is chosen. Albido’s sensors cover a wide temperature range from cryogenic to more than 900oC. This is accomplished by careful selection of the sensor materials and the processing technology as well as the interrogation scheme. Albido’s sensors can either be attached to the surface of the structures to be monitored or, if the structures are non metallic, embedded in the structures. The accuracy of Albido’s sensors is comparable or better than the accuracy of state-of-the-art sensors built with different technologies. They are inexpensive, easy to install, and they can be applied to new or existing structures. Albido has invented a method to separate the in uence of temperature and strain on the SAW sensor response. Albido’s technology can be extended to the measurement not only of the usual physical parameters, such as strain, temperature, pressure, or humidity, but also chemical parameters, such as corrosion or the concentration of certain gases. Albido cooperates with renown research focused groups at University of South Carolina (structural health monitoring), University of Colorado Colorado Springs (integrated circuits and SAW device processing), University of Central Florida (SAW sensors development), and other research institutions.