ABSTRACT
The paper describes an innovation of optical tensiography, which is a new fiber optic technology invented and developed in Ireland. The work from the early stage of concept testing to a fully engineered laboratory instrument is briefly described. The long process of applications studies on this new science is outlined. A brief description of the engineering of the commercial instrument is given and the paper ends with some comments on the engineering work required to develop the technique beyond the laboratory stage into a process control technology.
