The VIDAR technology, which is ensued from the partnership between Vodafone and FiberSense, paves the way for the use of fibre optic cable-based vibration sensor technology.
March 16, 2022
FiberSense, an Australia-headquartered company, has invented and patented an innovative sensor-based system over optical fibre cable infrastructure, called ‘VIDAR’ (vibration detection and ranging). The technology is an outcome of the synergy between Vodafone and FiberSense. Vodafone New Zealand has opened up the use of fibre optic cable-based vibration sensor technology to third parties as it extends the service to Wellington.
With the VIDAR technology, which was introduced last year, wide-area sensor systems can be created for recording, labelling, and visualising objects and events in real-time by capturing and analysing vibrations collected across large geographical grids using fibre-optic cables.
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After a successful pilot of FiberSense’s Digital Asset product in Auckland, the company has extended its partnership to Wellington (New Zealand). The Digital Asset provides services including – detection, prevention, and mitigation features to protect the Vodafone network and other underground critical utility assets.
The recent deployment involves a FiberSense unit providing 24X7 monitoring on optic fibre cables spanning over 100 km that comes under Vodafone’s optical network positioned in central Wellington. With the deployment of the technology rollout, the capability is expanded to other clients including utilities, governments, and municipal council offices in the New Zealand capital.
The feature of real-time condition monitoring ensures maintenance and can capture seismic data for assisting rapid response to damage from earthquake events. This capability makes Vodafone a pioneer in New Zealand to utilise the existing underground optic fibre cables to dynamically monitor for natural disasters or civil works.
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FiberSense technology is already being utilized by operators including Vodafone NZ, Southern Cross Cable Networks, Basslink, and TransGrid. Speaking about the technology, Mark Englund, Founder and CEO, FiberSense, asserts that the partnership with Vodafone New Zealand reflects a new model for fibre owners to extract revenue opportunities from their existing assets.
