Opportunities for Prognostic Health Monitoring

In a previous series of IEEE Aerospace Conference Papers, specific technical characteristics of a Robust Laser Interferometer (RLI) were presented, with emphasis on applicability for aviation Prognostic Health Monitoring . It was demonstrated that acoustic emissions (AE) in broadband vibrations are observable in detail, and that processing tools such as envelope processing of the high frequency (hundreds of kilohertz) broadband RLI measurements exhibits substantial potential for component and system health monitoring. Functional interests that range beyond mechanical system health, such as electrical wiring health monitoring, were presented along with system implementation choices. Physical system implementation choices presented ranged from a fiber-optic routed RLI through 'Point-and-Shoot' configurations. Multi-functional integrated health monitoring choices were also introduced. Most significantly, the measurement performance capability over a frequency range from 0 Hertz through hundreds of kilohertz was presented in detail. Realizing that one concern associated with robust high volume data systems relates to the "information extraction", opportunities for RLI-based Prognostic Health Monitoring are examined from four 'information sensitive' opportunity viewpoints. These include: (i) "artifact free" wideband spectrum data; (ii) use of "system basis" for PHM design; (iii) user friendliness; and (iv) application of the "logic of science". It is postulated that when considered together, such information opportunities can provide a basis for a quantum upgrade of PHM system capabilities.