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Fiber Optics and Robots
CHAPTER
22
Fiber Optics and Robots Lawrence J. Fennelly, CPP, CSS, HLS III
This chapter discusses two topics: fiber optics and robots.
FIBER OPTICS An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of very pure glass (silica) not much bigger than a human hair that acts as a waveguide, or “light pipe,” to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber [1]. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers is known as fiber optics. Optical fibers are widely used in fiber optic communication, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other forms of communication. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss and are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Fibers are also used for illumination, and are wrapped in bundles so they can be used to carry images, thus allowing viewing in tight spaces. Specially designed fibers are used for a variety of other applications, including sensors and fiber lasers. Optical fiber typically consists of a transparent core surrounded by a transparent cladding material with a lower index of refraction. Light is kept in the core by total internal reflection. This causes the fiber to act as a waveguide. Fibers that support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multimode fibers (MMFs), while those that only support a single mode are
called single-mode fibers (SMFs). Multimode fibers generally have a larger core diameter and are used for short-distance communication links and in applications where high power must be transmitted. Single-mode fibers are used for most communication links longer than 1,050 meters (3,440 ft). Joining lengths of optical fiber is more complex than joining electrical wire or cable. The ends of the fibers must be carefully cleaved and then spliced together either mechanically or by fusing them with heat. Special optical fiber connectors for removable connections are also available [2]. Mary Lynn Garcia, in her book Vulnerability Assessment of Physical Protection Systems, stated that for “fiber optic cable used on interior walls, the cable detects cutting through the wall by checking sensor, generally used in high-security systems or close to valuable assets” (p. 116). Fischer and Green stated in their book Introduction to Security that for installation of fiber optic cable, a beam of pulsed light is transmitted through the cable, and this is sensed at the other end. If the cable is cut or interfered with, the pulsing stops and there are changes in amplitude. The application of the cable is similar to the electromagnetic cable. Some manufacturers of highsecurity fences, however, have incorporated the fiber optic cable into the hollow strand of their normal fence material, making it 355
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CHAPTER 22 Fiber Optics and Robots
impossible to detect. The sensing cable may be attached to a fence, buried alongside a pipeline, or used in conjunction with power or communications lines. The use of fiber optic cable allows monitoring of miles of fence, pipe, or transmission lines with no electronics or power in the field. (p. 181) Geoff Craighead, in his book High-Rise Security and Fire Line Safety, 3rd edition, states CCTV involves the transmission of scenes or moving pictures from a video source, such as a camera, by conversion of light rays to electronic signals, which are transmitted via coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable or twisted pair wire or by microwave links, infrared wireless transmission, radio frequency (RF) wireless transmission, telephone wires, networks and a host of other methods. (p. 321)
Advantages of Fiber Optics [3] Why are fiber optic systems revolutionizing telecommunications? Compared to conventional metal wire (copper wire), optical fibers are: • Less expensive. Several miles of optical cable can be made cheaper than equivalent lengths of copper wire. This saves your provider (cable TV, Internet) and you money. • Thinner. Optical fibers can be drawn to smaller diameters than copper wire. • Higher carrying capacity. Because optical fibers are thinner than copper wires, more fibers can be bundled into a given-diameter cable than copper wires. This allows more phone lines to go over the same cable or more channels to come through the cable into your cable TV box. • Less signal degradation. The loss of signal in optical fiber is less than in copper wire. • Light signals. Unlike electrical signals in copper wires, light signals from one fiber do not interfere with those of other fibers in the same cable. This means clearer phone conversations or TV reception.
• Low
power. Because signals in optical fibers degrade less, lower-power transmitters can be used instead of the high-voltage electrical transmitters needed for copper wires. Again, this saves your provider and you money. • Digital signals. Optical fibers are ideally suited for carrying digital information, which is especially useful in computer networks. • Nonflammable. Because no electricity is passed through optical fibers, there is no fire hazard. • Lightweight. An optical cable weighs less than a comparable copper wire cable. Fiber optic cables take up less space in the ground. • Flexible. Because fiber optics are so flexible and can transmit and receive light, they are used in many flexible digital cameras.
ROBOTS AS SECURITY DEVICES Having robots supplement loss prevention personnel is not futuristic speculation: robotic technology is here today. These devices are capable of traveling around a facility to relay information back to a control center staffed by human beings. Some present-day robot characteristics are CCTV, lights, infrared sensors to detect movement, communications equipment that allows the human at the control center to speak through the robot, a piercing siren and bright light to stun an intruder, and an extinguisher to suppress a fire. The robot’s greatest asset is that it can enter hazardous areas that would be dangerous to human beings. Consider that a robot can be used to confront an armed offender, or can be used during a nuclear accident, bomb threat, or fire. Robots can be replaced; humans cannot. Robots are also repairable, but humans suffer from injuries. The losses from the death of an employee are far greater than from a destroyed robot. The use of robots will expand in the future, especially when they are mass produced at lower prices. The robots of tomorrow will be more sophisticated and better equipped. Perimeter patrol, access control, searching people and other robots, detaining offenders, analyzing loss vulnerabilities, and performing inspections and
CHAPTER 22 Fiber Optics and Robots audits will be standard jobs for robots. They will eventually outperform humans. Flying, carrying, and pulling huge loads, and the ability to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch with greater perception than humans are inevitable capabilities. Lawsuits involving the liability of a robot’s owner for, say, excessive force against an offender, will be common. Humans must be ready to “pull the plug” on a robot when necessary. The International Foundation of Robotics (IFR) statistical department reported continuing growth of robot sales worldwide: According to the results of the first quarter 2011 of the IFR Quarterly Statistics the robots sales increased by 53% compared to the first quarter 2010. In the fourth quarter 2010 the growth of robot sales slowed down somewhat. However, the level in all three regions—North America, Europe and
357
Asia—rose compared to the fourth quarter 2010. Especially sales of robots for handling operations and welding increased above average.1
SUMMARY In summary, I leave you with a question: Would you consider the replacement of personnel who view CCTV monitors all day (24/7) with a proven-to-work-and-react robot?
REFERENCES [1] International Foundation of Robotics, page 1. [2] www.Wikipedia.com, Defining Characteristics, 2012. [3] Freudenrich, C. How fiber optics work. Available at www.stonewallcable.com., 2011.
22
Fiber Optics and Robots Lawrence J. Fennelly, CPP, CSS, HLS III
This chapter discusses two topics: fiber optics and robots.
FIBER OPTICS An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of very pure glass (silica) not much bigger than a human hair that acts as a waveguide, or “light pipe,” to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber [1]. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers is known as fiber optics. Optical fibers are widely used in fiber optic communication, which permits transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than other forms of communication. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with less loss and are also immune to electromagnetic interference. Fibers are also used for illumination, and are wrapped in bundles so they can be used to carry images, thus allowing viewing in tight spaces. Specially designed fibers are used for a variety of other applications, including sensors and fiber lasers. Optical fiber typically consists of a transparent core surrounded by a transparent cladding material with a lower index of refraction. Light is kept in the core by total internal reflection. This causes the fiber to act as a waveguide. Fibers that support many propagation paths or transverse modes are called multimode fibers (MMFs), while those that only support a single mode are
called single-mode fibers (SMFs). Multimode fibers generally have a larger core diameter and are used for short-distance communication links and in applications where high power must be transmitted. Single-mode fibers are used for most communication links longer than 1,050 meters (3,440 ft). Joining lengths of optical fiber is more complex than joining electrical wire or cable. The ends of the fibers must be carefully cleaved and then spliced together either mechanically or by fusing them with heat. Special optical fiber connectors for removable connections are also available [2]. Mary Lynn Garcia, in her book Vulnerability Assessment of Physical Protection Systems, stated that for “fiber optic cable used on interior walls, the cable detects cutting through the wall by checking sensor, generally used in high-security systems or close to valuable assets” (p. 116). Fischer and Green stated in their book Introduction to Security that for installation of fiber optic cable, a beam of pulsed light is transmitted through the cable, and this is sensed at the other end. If the cable is cut or interfered with, the pulsing stops and there are changes in amplitude. The application of the cable is similar to the electromagnetic cable. Some manufacturers of highsecurity fences, however, have incorporated the fiber optic cable into the hollow strand of their normal fence material, making it 355
356
CHAPTER 22 Fiber Optics and Robots
impossible to detect. The sensing cable may be attached to a fence, buried alongside a pipeline, or used in conjunction with power or communications lines. The use of fiber optic cable allows monitoring of miles of fence, pipe, or transmission lines with no electronics or power in the field. (p. 181) Geoff Craighead, in his book High-Rise Security and Fire Line Safety, 3rd edition, states CCTV involves the transmission of scenes or moving pictures from a video source, such as a camera, by conversion of light rays to electronic signals, which are transmitted via coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable or twisted pair wire or by microwave links, infrared wireless transmission, radio frequency (RF) wireless transmission, telephone wires, networks and a host of other methods. (p. 321)
Advantages of Fiber Optics [3] Why are fiber optic systems revolutionizing telecommunications? Compared to conventional metal wire (copper wire), optical fibers are: • Less expensive. Several miles of optical cable can be made cheaper than equivalent lengths of copper wire. This saves your provider (cable TV, Internet) and you money. • Thinner. Optical fibers can be drawn to smaller diameters than copper wire. • Higher carrying capacity. Because optical fibers are thinner than copper wires, more fibers can be bundled into a given-diameter cable than copper wires. This allows more phone lines to go over the same cable or more channels to come through the cable into your cable TV box. • Less signal degradation. The loss of signal in optical fiber is less than in copper wire. • Light signals. Unlike electrical signals in copper wires, light signals from one fiber do not interfere with those of other fibers in the same cable. This means clearer phone conversations or TV reception.
• Low
power. Because signals in optical fibers degrade less, lower-power transmitters can be used instead of the high-voltage electrical transmitters needed for copper wires. Again, this saves your provider and you money. • Digital signals. Optical fibers are ideally suited for carrying digital information, which is especially useful in computer networks. • Nonflammable. Because no electricity is passed through optical fibers, there is no fire hazard. • Lightweight. An optical cable weighs less than a comparable copper wire cable. Fiber optic cables take up less space in the ground. • Flexible. Because fiber optics are so flexible and can transmit and receive light, they are used in many flexible digital cameras.
ROBOTS AS SECURITY DEVICES Having robots supplement loss prevention personnel is not futuristic speculation: robotic technology is here today. These devices are capable of traveling around a facility to relay information back to a control center staffed by human beings. Some present-day robot characteristics are CCTV, lights, infrared sensors to detect movement, communications equipment that allows the human at the control center to speak through the robot, a piercing siren and bright light to stun an intruder, and an extinguisher to suppress a fire. The robot’s greatest asset is that it can enter hazardous areas that would be dangerous to human beings. Consider that a robot can be used to confront an armed offender, or can be used during a nuclear accident, bomb threat, or fire. Robots can be replaced; humans cannot. Robots are also repairable, but humans suffer from injuries. The losses from the death of an employee are far greater than from a destroyed robot. The use of robots will expand in the future, especially when they are mass produced at lower prices. The robots of tomorrow will be more sophisticated and better equipped. Perimeter patrol, access control, searching people and other robots, detaining offenders, analyzing loss vulnerabilities, and performing inspections and
CHAPTER 22 Fiber Optics and Robots audits will be standard jobs for robots. They will eventually outperform humans. Flying, carrying, and pulling huge loads, and the ability to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch with greater perception than humans are inevitable capabilities. Lawsuits involving the liability of a robot’s owner for, say, excessive force against an offender, will be common. Humans must be ready to “pull the plug” on a robot when necessary. The International Foundation of Robotics (IFR) statistical department reported continuing growth of robot sales worldwide: According to the results of the first quarter 2011 of the IFR Quarterly Statistics the robots sales increased by 53% compared to the first quarter 2010. In the fourth quarter 2010 the growth of robot sales slowed down somewhat. However, the level in all three regions—North America, Europe and
357
Asia—rose compared to the fourth quarter 2010. Especially sales of robots for handling operations and welding increased above average.1
SUMMARY In summary, I leave you with a question: Would you consider the replacement of personnel who view CCTV monitors all day (24/7) with a proven-to-work-and-react robot?
REFERENCES [1] International Foundation of Robotics, page 1. [2] www.Wikipedia.com, Defining Characteristics, 2012. [3] Freudenrich, C. How fiber optics work. Available at www.stonewallcable.com., 2011.