Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) keeps critical infrastructure safe. High-resolution monitoring systems, known as fiber test heads (FTH), transform existing fiber optic networks into highly sensitive sensors for real-time detection of vibrations, movements, and acoustic events along the fiber. The devices sold by LASER COMPONENTS cover distances of up to 100 kilometers.
The underlying technology is both elegant and effective: a laser interrogator sends short pulses of light into the fiber optic cable and analyzes the backscatter. Even the slightest movement or vibration changes the scattering pattern of the light, making it measurable for the system. AI-supported software separates harmless events from actual threats. This allows for immediate detection and precise localization of activities such as excavations, tampering attempts, or structural changes.
DAS is increasingly being deployed in areas that are essential for public safety and utilities—such as along pipelines, railway lines, power lines, and communication networks. The technology also enables continuous status monitoring in the perimeter protection of sensitive facilities, data centers, and industrial plants. It thus makes a decisive contribution to the implementation of KRITIS requirements in accordance with the NIS2 Directive and the IT Security Act.
