Structural monitoring using a remote smart telemetry data acquisition network (INVONET(TM))

The U.S. Department of Transportation sought out the development of technologies to enhance infrastructure health monitoring. Specifically, the agency requested methods to improve data collection of sensor measurements over distributed points on highway bridges. The current methods of data collection used hard wire connections for data transmission, which resulted in increased labor and installation costs. Furthermore, the hardwire connections hinder the mobility of the data collection units and the ability to quickly measure a number of distributed points. In response to this problem, Invocon, Inc. designed a static, wireless, data acquisition and communications network (entitled INVONET(TM)) as an experimentation tool to evaluate the performance of bridge structures under transient loads. The network incorporates two-way, RF, spread spectrum communications between distributed nodes or units and a central collection unit. Spread spectrum technology reduces potential interference from other RF sources while operating at low transmit power levels that preserve battery life and will not interfere with other communications.