The primary research interest covers a broad range of Fiber optics sensing techniques and optical sensors, devices, systems and signal processing.

For more information on our current and past projects please click on the tabs below.

Current Projects

Principal Investigator (PI): Xingwei Wang.

co-PI: TzuYang Yu
Project Title: Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing System for Bridge Monitoring
Award Amount: $130K
Award term: 2020-2021
Funding agency: University Transportation Centers Programs. Department of transportation. University of Massachusetts Lowell.

The problem we are trying to solve is how to monitor aging bridges. This is important because managing aging civil infrastructure is a major challenge facing the U.S and countries worldwide. Deterioration and premature failures of civil infrastructure have a critical impact on the U.S. economy. Fiber optic sensors are good candidates to monitor and inspect the status of bridges because they can provide fast and accurate measurements on strain and temperature. Asset owners are able to prioritize maintenance and repair of bridges based on the data provided by the fiber optic sensors. The objective of this project is to develop fiber optic sensing system using BOTDR (Brillouin Optical Time Domain Reflectometry) for monitoring of civil infrastructure systems such as highway bridges.

Learn more on the Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center at UMass Lowell (TIDC) website.

UMass Lowell PI: Xingwei Wang

co-PI: Tzuyang Yu, Pradeedp Kurup, Ramaswamy Nagarajan, Murat inalpolat, Marianna Maiaru
Other PIs: Saint Gobain, University of Delaware, US Army

Project Title: Netflex 4.7; Textile Embedded and Printed Sensors (STEPS) Expanded Multi-Mission Operation

Award amount: $1.3M
Award term: 2020-2021
Sponsors: MassTech match, NextFlex

The STEPS project will develop a functional textile which can monitor aircraft wings and similar structures during production, one of the longest processes in the production of commercial aircraft. Advanced monitoring is expected to reduce the production time by 50 percent, which could translate to millions of dollars in savings per plane.

PI: Xingwei Wang

co-PI: Pradeep Kurup
Project Title: A smart sensing system for early detection of damage in helmets and body armor
Award amount: To be finalized
Award term: 2020-2021

Sponsors: HEROES, DOD, CCDC Soldier Center, Natick as an amendment to the Soldier Lightweight Integrated multifunctional Materials and Exoskeleton Research (SLIMMER) program

New helmet model developed that can be used for ANY helmet materials. Can predict wrinkling in helmet fabrication and improve helmet protection.

Project Title: Sensing textiles for Civil Infrastructure Monitoring

Sponsor: AFFOA

The goal of this project is to develop a civil infrastructure monitoring system that will allow monitoring of infrastructure in a proactive manner and enable damage detection to existing infrastructure in its early stages, thereby minimize maintenance costs, environmental impacts and disruptions to the population. In addition, this system would also help to detect adverse impact to existing civil infrastructure (buildings, pipelines, bridges & tunnels, rail lines) that can occur during trenchless operations that occur underground during installation of new structures (pipelines, tunnels) needed to support economic growth.

Other projects

  • Fiber-optic Sensors for biomedical applications
  • Optical Sensors
  • Acoustic Pressure Sensor
  • Miniature Label-free Biosenser
  • Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)
  • Temperature sensor for rotary ultrasonic machining of titanium alloy

Funding

  • 2017 UMass Life Sciences Moment Fund (LSMF), “A Catheter Based Temperature Monitoring System for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Procedures”, has been chosen for funding by the Steering Review Committee as part of the UMASS Clinical and Translational Science Award (UMCCTS) pilot award program. PI.
  • MTTC Innovation Commercialization Seed Fund (Phase 2) , CBU (Catheter Based Ultrasound) fiber optic temperature distribution measurement system for controlling the radiofrequency ablation, PI: Xingwei Wang, 09/30/2015 - 03/30/2016, $40,000 (Catheter Based Ultrasound fiber).
  • The S&T Award, Concussion Prevention and Diagnosis Initiative, (James Sherwood, Constance Moore, Xingwei Wang (Co_PI), J. Herbert Stevenson, Christopher Niezrecki), 07/01/2015 - 06/30/2016, $35,000.
  • The NSF Award, 2015 Concussion Prevention and Diagnosis Workshop, PI: Xingwei Wang, Co_PI:
  • James Sherwood and Christopher Niezrecki, 07/01/2015 - 12/31/2015, $15,100.
  • Department of Energy, Distributed fiber sensing systems for 3D combustion temperature field monitoring in coal-fired boilers using optically generated acoustic waves, PI: UMass Lowell Xingwei Wang, Subcontractor: UConn, Industry partner: Alstom, 07/2014-07/2017, $400,000.
  • NSF, Distributed Active Acoustic Sensing using a Single Optical Fiber for Interfacial Structural Health Monitoring of Reinforced Concrete Structures, PI: Xingwei Wang, Co_PI: TzuYang Yu, 04/14/2014-03/17/2017, $297,000.
  • CVIP, A Miniature Fiber Optic High Frequency High Resolution Ultrasound Imaging Transducer, Xingwei Wang (sole-PI), 3/2014-2/2015, $25,000 (direct cost).
  • NSF, I-CORPS: Commercialization Feasibility Research and Demonstration Preparation for Miniature Optical Ultrasound Transducers, Xingwei Wang (sole-PI), 05/01/2014-10/31/2014 $50,000.
  • Youngstown State University, “Novel High Speed Fiber-Optic Pressure Sensor Systems”, (Xingwei Wang and Christopher Niezrecki), 8/1/2013-3/2014, $4300.
  • NSF, Collaborative Research: Enabling Non-contact Structural Dynamic Identification with Focused ultrasound Radiation Force, (Thomas Huber, Peter Avitabile, Christopher Niezrecki, and Xingwei Wang), 09/2013-08/2016, $500,000.
  • CVIP Technology Development Fund, Miniature disposable blood pressure sensor for cardiologist use, (Xingwei Wang, and Kurt Barringhaus), 04/2011 - 04/2012, $25,000 (direct cost).
  • NSF Career Award, "Novel Mechanism for Generation and Receiving of Ultrasound on a Single Fiber Using Nanoparticles ", July 1/ 2011 - June 30 /2016, $400 K.
  • Raytheon, "Optical Sensor Network for Evaluation of Helmet Design against Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)", 11/2010-11/2011, $30K.
  • National Science Foundation Grant, MRI-R2: Acquisition of a Focused Ion Beam - Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM) for Nano/Micro Fabrication/Characterization, (Xingwei Wang, Earl Ada, Carol Barry, David Kazmer, Mengyan Shen), 08/01/2010-07/31/2013, $1,150,000.
  • Massachusetts Life Sciences Center New Investigator Matching Grant, Miniature Label-free Biosensing Probes for Rapid Detection of Virus, Bacteria, and cells, 09/2008 - 08/2011, ~$ 599,775.
  • CVIP Technology Development Fund, Miniature disposable blood pressure sensor for cardiologist use, (Xingwei Wang, and Wenhui Wang), 05/2009 - 04/2010, $25,000 (direct cost).
  • AfiSci, Inc., Standalone Feed and Water Feeder. 03/01/2009-08/31/2009, $5400.
  • National Science Foundation Grant, Fundamental Research on Titanium Drilling with Rotary Ultrasonic Machining, in collaboration with Professor Zhijian Pei of Kansas State University, 07/01/2009 - 06/30/2012, $33,115.
  • National Science Foundation Grant, MRI: Acquisition of a Nanoimprint Lithography System for Nanomanufacturing and Nano/Micro Fabrication, (co-PI; H.Sun as PI), 09/01/2009 - 08/31/2012, $507,980.
  • VasoTech Corporation, Lowell, MA, Miniature Blood Pressure Sensor, PI, 09/01/09 - 12/31/09, $13,400.