Fiber Bragg grating sensor array interrogation using differential evolution

We apply the differential evolution algorithm (DE) to interrogate a fiber Bragg grating sensor network, where a multi-level crossing detector comprising of reference gratings is used to track the sensor gratings which have the same Bragg wavelength but different reflectivities. The DE algorithm uses a numerical model of the system and the data collected from the network, for wavelength demodulation and direct extraction of the perturbation on each of the sensor. We show that the estimated signals are in good agreement with the actual signals. The use of DE algorithm facilitates faster data collection and offline interrogation. (Received August 8, 2008; in revised form September 16, 2008; accepted September 26, 2008)