Elastomeric optical fiber sensors and method for detecting and measuring events occurring in elastic materials

• US 5,374,821 A
• Filed: 06/30/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, David B., Muhs, Jeffrey D., White, Clifford P., Capps, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAMI, KHALED
• Application Number:
  US08/086,444
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227.16, 250/227.14, 250/231.19, 73/800, 73/862.624, 385/13, 385/32
• US Class Current: 250/227.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/18 using photoelastic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/35341 Sensor working in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/35374 Particular layout of the fiber
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/086 Details about the embedment of the optical fiber within the DUT

Abstract

Fiber optic sensing means for the detection and measurement of events such as dynamic loadings imposed upon elastic materials including cementitious materials, elastomers, and animal body components and/or the attrition of such elastic materials are provided. One or more optical fibers each having a deformable core and cladding formed of an elastomeric material such as silicone rubber are embedded in the elastic material. Changes in light transmission through any of the optical fibers due the deformation of the optical fiber by the application of dynamic loads such as compression, tension, or bending loadings imposed on the elastic material or by the attrition of the elastic material such as by cracking, deterioration, aggregate break-up, and muscle, tendon, or organ atrophy provide a measurement of the dynamic loadings and attrition. The fiber optic sensors can be embedded in elastomers subject to dynamic loadings and attrition such as commonly used automobiles and in shoes for determining the amount and frequency of the dynamic loadings and the extent of attrition. The fiber optic sensors are also useable in cementitious material for determining the maturation thereof.

Claims

1. An optical fiber sensor for measuring a dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material, comprising a body of elastic material, elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material sufficiently fixedly embedded within the body of elastic material for conjunctive displacement therewith so that any movement in internal regions of the body of elastic material contiguous to regions of the embedded optical fiber means upon the application of a dynamic loading to the body of elastic material deforms the optical fiber means at a location thereon corresponding to the location of the movement in said regions with the amount of the deformation substantially corresponding to the extent of movement in the body of elastic material in said regions, light producing means coupled to the embedded optical fiber means for transmitting light therethrough, and light receiving means coupled to the embedded optical fiber means for receiving light transmitted therethrough with the amount of light received thereby being proportional to the amount of deformation of the optical fiber means for providing a signal indicative of the extent of movement occurring in said regions of the body of elastic material and corresponding to a measure of the dynamic loading applied to the body of elastic material in said regions.

2. An optical fiber sensor for measuring a dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic material is a cementitious material, an elastomer, or an elastic component contained within the body of an animal.

3. An optical fiber sensor for measuring a dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastomeric material forming at least one of the core and the cladding of the optical fiber means is silicone rubber.

4. An optical fiber sensor for measuring a dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body of elastic material is body of cementitious material having upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the elongated optical fiber means is embedded in the body of cementitious material at a location intermediate to said upper and lower surfaces and extends along a plane substantially parallel to at least one of said surfaces.

5. An optical fiber sensor for measuring a dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastic material is a body of elastomeric material, and wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the body of elastomeric material at a location therein subject to dynamic loadings applied to the body of elastomeric material and provided by at least one of a compression load, a tension load material, and a bending load.

6. An optical fiber sensor for measuring a dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body of elastic material is elastomeric material forming a sole of a shoe for receiving a foot of a human being with said sole having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces and including a heel region an arch region and a ball of the foot region, wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the sole at a location intermediate to the upper and lower surface and in at least one of the heel region and the ball of the foot region, and wherein the light transmitting means and the light receiving means are embedded in the sole.

7. An optical fiber sensor for measuring a dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastic component within the body of a animal is a muscle, and wherein the elongated optical fiber means is embedded in the muscle at a location therein subject to dynamic loadings applied by the muscle as provided by at least one of a compression load, a tension load, and a bending load.

8. An optical fiber sensor for measuring attrition in a body of elastic material, comprising a body of elastic material, elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material sufficiently fixedly embedded within the body of elastic material for conjunctive movement therewith and subjected to an initial amount of deformation so that any attrition in internal regions of the body of elastic material contiguous to regions of the embedded optical fiber means in the body of elastic material changes said initial amount of deformation in the optical fiber means at a location thereon corresponding to the location of the attrition in said regions of the body of elastic material with the amount of the change in the initial deformation substantially corresponding to the extent of attrition in the body of elastic material in said regions, light producing means coupled to the embedded optical fiber means for transmitting light therethrough, and light receiving means coupled to the embedded optical fiber means for receiving light transmitted therethrough with the amount of light received thereby being proportional to the amount of change in the initial deformation of the optical fiber means for providing a signal indicative of a measure of attrition occurring in said regions of the body of elastic material.

9. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the attrition of a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 8, wherein the elastic material is a cementitious material, an elastomer, or an elastic component contained within the body of an animal.

10. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the attrition of a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastomeric material forming at least one of the core and the cladding of the optical fiber means is silicone rubber.

11. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the attrition of a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body of elastic material is body of cementitious material having upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the elongated optical fiber means is embedded in the body of cementitious material at a location intermediate to said upper and lower surfaces and extends along a plane substantially parallel to at least one of said surfaces.

12. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the attrition of a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastic material is a body of elastomeric material, and wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the body of elastomeric material at a location therein subject to attrition.

13. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the attrition of a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body of elastic material is elastomeric material forming a sole of a shoe for receiving a foot of a human being with said sole having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces and including a heel region an arch region and a ball of the foot region, wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the sole at a location intermediate to the upper and lower surface and in at least one of the heel region and the ball of the foot region, and wherein the light transmitting means and the light receiving means are embedded in the sole.

14. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the attrition of a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elastic component in the body of an animal is a muscle, muscle or tendons in a joint region, or an organ, and wherein the elongated optical fiber means is embedded in the elastic component at a location therein subject to attrition.

15. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both attrition of and dynamic loadings applied to a body of elastic material, comprising a body of elastic material, elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material sufficiently fixedly embedded and subjected to an initial amount of deformation within the body of elastic material so that any changes in the initial amount of deformation in the optical fiber means as caused by attrition of the body of elastic material or movement in internal regions of the body of elastic material contiguous to regions of the embedded optical fiber means upon the application of a dynamic loading to the body of elastic material alters the amount of amount of initial deformation according to whether the change is due to attrition or a dynamic loading applied on the optical fiber means at a location thereon corresponding to the location of the movement in said regions, light producing means coupled to the embedded optical fiber means for transmitting light therethrough, and light receiving means coupled to the embedded optical fiber means for receiving light transmitted therethrough with the amount of light received thereby being proportional to the amount of deformation of the optical fiber means for providing a signal indicative of the extent of movement occurring in said regions of the body of elastic material and corresponding to measures of the attrition of the elastic material in said regions and the dynamic loading applied to the body of elastic material in said regions.

16. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both the attrition of and the dynamic loadings applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 15, wherein the elastic material a cementitious material, and elastomer or an elastic component contained within the body of an animal.

17. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both the attrition of and the dynamic loadings applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 16, wherein the elastomeric material forming at least one of the core and the cladding of the optical fiber means is silicone rubber.

18. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both the attrition of and the dynamic loadings applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 17, wherein the body of elastic material is body of cementitious material having upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the elongated optical fiber means is embedded in the body of cementitious material at a location intermediate to said upper and lower surfaces and extends along a plane substantially parallel to at least one of said surfaces.

19. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both the attrition of and the dynamic loadings applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 17, wherein the body of elastic material is a body of elastomeric material, and wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the body of elastomeric material at a location therein subject to dynamic loadings applied to the body of elastomeric material and provided by at least one of a compression load, a tension load, and a bending load.

20. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both the attrition and the dynamic loadings applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 17, wherein the body of elastic material is elastomeric material forming a sole of a shoe for receiving a foot of a human being with said sole having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces and including a heel region an arch region and a ball of the foot region, wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the sole at a location intermediate to the upper and lower surface and in at least one of the heel region and the ball of the foot region, and wherein the light transmitting means and the light receiving means are embedded in the sole.

21. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both the attrition and the dynamic loadings applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 20, wherein power supply means and signal processor means are embedded in the sole in substantially the arch region thereof and coupled to the light producing means and the light receiving means.

22. An optical fiber sensor for measuring both the attrition and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 17, wherein the elastic component within the body of the animal is one of a muscle, a joint region, or an organ, and wherein the elongated optical fiber means is embedded in the elastic component at a location therein subject to at least one of attrition and dynamic loadings applied by the elastic component as provided by at least one of a compression load, a tension load, and a bending load.

23. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the curing rate of cementitious material comprising, an elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material embedded within a body of freshly poured and uncured cementitious material containing a substantial amount of water, means for transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means, and means for measuring the amount of light initially transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means with the amount of light attenuation being indicative of the amount of water present and with any changes in the amount of light subsequently transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means and with any change from the initial amount of light attenuation in the optical fiber means being indicative of extent of curing taking place in the cementitious material and with the rate of the change in the amount of light being transmitted through the optical fiber means being indicative of the rate of the curing taking place in the cementitious material.

24. An optical fiber sensor for measuring the curing rate of cementitious material as claimed in claim 23, wherein the means for transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means include light emitting means and power supply means for providing an operating voltage thereto and wherein means are provided for compensating for variations in ambient temperature and variations in voltage at the light emitting means for providing a substantially constant voltage to the light emitting diode means.

25. (amended) An optical fiber sensor for measuring at least one of the attrition of, the cracking of, and a dynamic loading applied to a body of cementitious material having upper and lower surfaces, comprising a body of cementitious material, at least one elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material fixedly embedded within the body of cementitious material at a location intermediate to said upper and lower surfaces with said optical fiber means extending along a plane substantially parallel to at least one of said surfaces and with an initial deformation imposed upon the optical fiber means, light transmitting means for transmitting light through the optical fiber means, means for receiving light transmitted through the optical fiber means, and means for measuring changes in light attenuation with changes in the amount of light attenuation being indicative of measurements of a crack developing in the body of cementitious material at a location spanned by the optical fiber means, the attrition of the cementitious material in locations contiguous to the optical fiber means, or a dynamic loading applied on the body of the cementitious material in a location contiguous to the optical fiber means.

26. An optical fiber sensor as claimed in claim 25, wherein said at least one optical fiber means is a plurality of elongated optical fiber means fixedly embedded in the body of cementitious material in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship to one another, wherein the light transmitting means transmits light through each of the optical fiber means, and wherein the means for receiving the transmitted light and the means for measuring the light attenuation in each optical fiber means provide measurements substantially indicative of at least one of the location and length of a crack in the body of cementitious material, the location and amount of attrition in the body of cementitious material, and the general location of and the amount of the applied dynamic loading.

27. An optical fiber sensor as claimed in claim 26, wherein said at least one optical fiber means includes a further plurality of the elongated optical fiber means embedded in the body of cementitious material in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship to one another and substantially perpendicular to the first mentioned plurality of the optical fiber means, wherein the light transmitting means transmits light through each of the further plurality of optical fiber means, wherein further means are provided for receiving the transmitted light through each of the further plurality of optical fiber means and conveying a signal to said measuring means to provide further measurements combinable with the first mentioned measurements for essentially determining at least one of the location, width and length of crack in the body of cementitious material, the location and amount of attrition in the body of cementitious material, and the location of and the amount of the applied dynamic loading.

28. An optical fiber sensor in a body of cementitious material having sections thereof separated by a joint or crack, comprising a body of cementitious material defined by at least two sections separated from one another by one of a joint and a crack, deformable optical fiber means of elastomeric material disposed within and extending substantially parallel to the joint or crack, filler means for fixedly securing the optical fiber means in the joint or crack for effecting the deformation thereof upon movement of said sections relative to one another, means for transmitting light through the optical fiber means, and means for receiving light transmitted through the optical fiber means with the amount of light being received being dependent upon the amount of deformation of the optical fiber means.

31. An optical fiber sensor as claimed in claim 28, wherein the elastic component is a muscle, and wherein the optical fiber means is embedded within the muscle.

32. An optical fiber sensor as claimed in claim 28, wherein the elastic component in the human body is an organ or tumor.

33. An optical fiber sensor as claimed in claim 28, wherein the elastic component in the human body comprises at least one of muscles and tendons in a joint region.

29. In a shoe adapted to be worn on a foot of a human being and having a sole formed an elastomeric material with spaced apart upper and lower surface regions and which is sequentially deformed by sequential impacts of the foot upon the upper surface region thereof as occurring during a walking or exercise regimen, the method for measuring the amount of impact and the number of impacts in a selected region of the sole of the shoe by the steps of fixedly embedding an elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material within the body of elastic material defining the sole of the shoe for conjunctive movement therewith, transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means, measuring the amount of light transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means during a plurality of impacts of the foot upon the selected region of the sole with each change in the amount of light transmitted through the optical fiber means being indicative of the deformation of the sole caused by each of the sequential impacts of the foot upon the selected region of the sole and with the amount of each change in light transmitted through the optical fiber means being indicative of the intensity of each impact.

30. An optical fiber sensor for measuring at least one of atrophy or development occurring in an elastic component in the body of a human being, and movement of the elastic component in the body of a human being by a dynamic loading imposed by movement in the elastic component and provided by at least one of a compression load, a tension load, or a bending load, comprising an elastic component within the body of a human being, an elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material embedded within the body of the human being and fixedly attached to the elastic component being measured for conjunctive movement therewith and for subjecting the elongated optical fiber means to an initial deformation, means for transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means, and means for receiving and measuring the amount of light transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means with changes in the amount of light received being indicative of at least one of atrophy, development, and movement in the elastic component at locations contiguous to regions of the embedded optical fiber means and with the extent of any change in the amount of light attenuation from that initially measured being indicative of the measure of at least one of the atrophy, the development, and the movement in the elastic component.

34. A method for measuring at least one of attrition in a body of elastic material and a dynamic loading imposed upon the body of elastic material by at least one of a compression load, a tension load, or a bending load, comprising the steps of fixedly embedding an elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material within a body of elastic material for conjunctive movement therewith and for subjecting the elongated optical fiber means to an initial deformation, transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means, measuring the amount of light initially transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means with the amount of light being initially transmitted being indicative of the amount of attenuation of the light through the optical fiber means caused by the initial deformation thereof, measuring the amount of light subsequently transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means so that any changes in the initial amount of deformation in the optical fiber means as caused by at least one of the attrition of the body of elastic material and movement in internal regions of the body of elastic material contiguous to regions of the embedded optical fiber means upon the application of a dynamic loading to the body of elastic material changes the amount of light attenuation measured at the initial deformation of the optical fiber means with the extent of any change in the amount of light attenuation from that initially measured being indicative of a measure of attrition in the elastic material or a measure of movement in the body of elastic material at locations thereof contiguous to the embedded optical fiber means as caused by the application of a dynamic loading to the body of elastic material.

35. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 34, wherein the elastic material is a cementitious material, an elastomer, or an elastic component contained within the body of an animal.

36. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 34, wherein the elastomeric material forming at least one of the core and the cladding of the optical fiber means is silicone rubber.

37. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 34, wherein the body of elastic material is body of cementitious material having upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the elongated optical fiber means is embedded in the body of cementitious material at a location intermediate to said upper and lower surfaces and extends along a plane substantially parallel to at least one of said surfaces, and further including the steps of determining the presence of a crack in the body of cementitious material by embedding the elongated optical fiber means at a location in regions of the cementitious material subject to cracking, and determining the presence of and measuring and the width of a crack in the body of cementitious material of a sufficient magnitude to apply a tension loading on the portion of the optical fiber means spanning the crack for stretching and deforming the optical fiber means and thereby changing the amount of light being transmitted therethrough with the amount light being transmitted through the optical fiber means being indicative of the width of the crack.

38. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 37, including the additional steps of embedding a plurality of the elongated optical fiber means in the body of cementitious material in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship to one another, measuring the amount of light initially transmitted through each of the embedded optical fiber means with the amount of :

light being initially transmitted through each optical fiber means being indicative of the amount of attenuation of the light through each of the optical fiber means caused by the initial deformation thereof, measuring the amount of light subsequently transmitted through each of the embedded optical fiber means so that any changes from the initial amount of deformation in any of the embedded optical fiber means as caused by at least one of the attrition of the body of cementitious material, the formation of a crack inducing a tension loading in at least one of the optical fiber means, and movement in internal regions of the body of cementitious material contiguous to regions of one or more of the embedded optical fiber means upon the application of a dynamic loading to the body of cementitious material, and measuring the amount of change in light attenuation in said at least one of the optical fiber means for determining at least one of the general location and extent of attrition, the size and width of the crack, and the general location of and the amount of the applied dynamic loading.

39. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 38, including the additional steps of embedding a further plurality of the elongated optical fiber means in the body of cementitious material in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship to one another and substantially perpendicular to the first mentioned plurality of the optical fiber means, measuring the amount of light initially transmitted through each of said further embedded optical fiber means with the amount of light being initially transmitted through each of said further optical fiber means being indicative of the amount of attenuation of the light through each of said further optical fiber means caused by the initial deformation thereof, measuring the amount of light subsequently transmitted through each of the embedded optical fiber means so that any changes from the initial amount of deformation in any of the embedded optical fiber means as caused by at least one of the attrition of the body of cementitious material, the formation of a crack inducing a tension loading in one or more of the optical fiber means, and movement in internal regions of the body of cementitious material contiguous to regions of one or more of the embedded optical fiber means upon the application of a dynamic loading to the body of cementitious material, and measuring the amount of change in light attenuation in said one or more of the optical fiber means in each plurality of optical fiber means for determining at least one of:

the location of attrition in the body of cementitious material and extent of attrition at said location;

the location, size and width of the crack; and

, the location and amount the applied dynamic loading.

40. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 35, wherein the body of elastic material is a body of elastomeric material, and wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the body of elastomeric material at a location therein subject to dynamic loadings applied to the body of elastomeric material and provided by at least one of a compression load, a tension load stretching the elastomeric material, and a bending load.

41. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 35, wherein the body of elastic material is elastomeric material forming a sole of a shoe for receiving a foot of a human being with said sole having substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces and including a heel region an arch region and a ball of the foot region, wherein the optical fiber means is embedded in the sole at a location intermediate to the upper and lower surface and in at least one of the heel region and the ball of the foot region, wherein means for effecting the transmission of the light through the optical fiber means and means for receiving the transmitted light are embedded in the sole, and wherein the dynamic loading is a compression loading provided by the foot impacting the body of elastomeric material.

42. A method for measuring at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to a body of elastic material as claimed in claim 35, wherein the elastic component within the body of an animal is a muscle, organ, or muscle and tendons in a joint region with the elongated optical fiber means embedded in the elastic component at a location subject attrition and to dynamic loadings applied by the muscle as provided by at least one of a compression load, a tension load stretching the elastic component, and a bending load.

43. A method for measuring the curing rate of cementitious material, comprising the steps of embedding an elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material within a body of freshly poured and uncured cementitious material containing a substantial amount of water, transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means, measuring the amount of light initially transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means with the amount of light attenuation being indicative of the amount of water present in the uncured cementitious material and with said amount of water decreasing as the cementitious material undergoes curing, measuring the changes in the amount of light subsequently transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means and the rate of said changes with the extent of any change from the initial amount of light attenuation in the optical fiber means being indicative of extent of curing taking place in the cementitious material and with the rate of the change in the amount of light being transmitted through the optical fiber means being indicative of the rate of the curing taking place in the cementitious material.

44. A method as claimed in claim 43, wherein the light is transmitted into the optical fiber means by light emitting means, and including the additional steps of compensating for variations in ambient temperature and variations in voltage supplied to the light emitting means which affect the amount of light transmitted into the optical fiber means by the light emitting means.

45. A method as claimed in claim 43 including measuring of at least one of the attrition of and the dynamic loading applied to the body of cementitious material after the curing thereof by the steps comprising, measuring the amount of light transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means after obtaining a substantial steady amount of light transmitted through the optical fiber means indicative of the curing of the cementitious material with the amount of light being initially transmitted through the optical fiber means in the cured cementitious material being indicative of the amount of attenuation of the light through the optical fiber means being due the deformation thereof in the cured cementitious material, measuring the amount of light subsequently transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means so that any changes in the initial amount of deformation in the optical fiber means as caused by at least one of the attrition of the body of cementitious material and movement in internal regions of the body of elastic material contiguous to regions of the embedded optical fiber means upon the application of a dynamic loading to the body of cementitious material changes the amount of light attenuation measured at the initial deformation of the optical fiber means with the extent of any change in the amount of light attenuation from that initially measured being indicative of the extent of attrition in the cementitious material or the extent of movement in the body of elastic material at locations contiguous to the embedded optical fiber means as caused by the application of a dynamic loading to the body of cementitious material.

46. In a shoe adapted to be worn on a foot of a human being and having a sole formed an elastomeric material with spaced apart upper and lower surface regions and which is sequentially deformed by sequential impacts of the foot upon the upper surface region thereof as occurring during a walking or exercise regimen, the method for measuring the amount of impact and the number of impacts in a selected region of the sole by the steps of fixedly embedding an elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material within the sole for conjunctive movement therewith, transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means, measuring the amount of light transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means during a plurality of impacts of the foot upon the selected region of the sole with each change in the amount of light transmitted through the optical fiber means being indicative of the deformation of the sole caused by a single impact of the foot upon the selected region of the sole and with the amount of each change in light transmitted through the optical fiber means being indicative of the intensity of each impact.

47. In the method of claim 46 including the additional step of determining the number of impacts of the foot upon the selected region of the sole over a predetermined time period by measuring the number of changes in the amount of light transmitted during a predetermined duration.

48. A method for measuring at least one of atrophy or development occurring in an elastic component in the body of an animal and movement of the elastic component in the body of the animal as provided by a dynamic loading imposed on the elastic component by at least one of a compression load, a tension load, or a bending load, said method comprising the steps of embedding an elongated optical fiber means formed of a core and cladding of an elastomeric material within the body of the animal and fixedly attached to the elastic component being measured for conjunctive movement therewith and for subjecting the elongated optical fiber means to an initial deformation, transmitting light through the embedded optical fiber means, measuring the amount of light initially transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means with the amount of light being initially transmitted being indicative of the amount of attenuation of the light through the optical fiber means caused by the initial deformation thereof, and measuring the amount of light subsequently transmitted through the embedded optical fiber means so that any changes in the initial amount of deformation in the optical fiber means as caused by at least one of the atrophy, development, and movement in the elastic component at locations contiguous to regions of the embedded optical fiber means and with the extent of any change in the amount of light attenuation from that initially measured being indicative of the extent of at least one of atrophy, development, and movement in the elastic component in the body of the animal.

49. A method for measuring at least one of atrophy or development occurring in an elastic component in the body of an animal and movement of the elastic component in the body of an animal by a dynamic loading as claimed in claim 48, wherein the elastic component is one of a muscle, an organ, or muscle or tendons in a joint area, and wherein the optical fiber means is at least substantially embedded within the elastic component.

50. A method for measuring at least one of atrophy or development occurring in an elastic component in the body of an animal and movement of the elastic component in the body of an animal by a dynamic loading as claimed in claim 48, wherein the elastic component in the body of the animal is a tumor.