When “mission critical” installations must be monitored for theft, terrorism or vandalism from a remote location control room, fiber optic intrusion detection is replacing older electronic security systems.  Fiber optic technologies are being tailor-made to secure government buildings, estates, water sources, electrical sub-stations, oil and chemical plants, passenger rail stations, and many other sites. Each location requires constant point-by- point surveillance that enables more rapid response time to the exact location of the event.

FBG fiber optics sensors are being embedded into flooring and terminal mats and into buried cable by application engineers at Cleveland Electric Labs. The sensors are fiber optic strain gages that respond to the slightest pressure change when an unexpected intruder’s weight or unwanted mass is placed on it. As soon as the Cleveland Electric Labs FORRmat (fiber optic rapid response mat) , or FORRguard (direct burial cable) FBG sensors are deflected,  the FBG sensors reflect light waves back to a scanner that results in an immediate recognition of the intrusion location.  In most instances, the deflection sends a signal to a hidden video camera at the site that is programmed to tape the intrusion instantaneously when the signal is sent from the FBG sensor.

Fiber optic intrusion detection will become the security standard because is it immune to high and low temperatures, harsh chemicals and corrosion, lightning strikes, and radio frequency and electromagnetic interference.