Fiber Optic Sensing Association
# Fiber Optic Sensing Association

The Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA) is a nonprofit industry association that promotes fiber-optic sensing technology. It was founded in April 2017 in Washington, D.C. and has a membership of 24 companies and universities.

## Background and structure

The Fiber Optic Sensing Association was founded on April 24, 2017. It had nearly a dozen founding member companies representing an "eclectic" group, including Corning Inc. and OFS, across the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The agenda for the first meeting of FOSA focused on promoting fiber-optic sensing technology through infrastructure priorities including smart highways and implementation into larger construction projects.

FOSA is affiliated with the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), which promotes fiber-optic networking technology. Its current Chairman is Dave Cunningham of Network Integrity Solutions.

## Research

A December 2017 study from FOSA found that China had the most distributed fiber-optic sensing installations in the world, followed by Germany, the United States, and South Korea. In August 2018, the organization launched a report advocating the use of fiber-optic sensing technology in railways to improve security. It has also supported implementation of fiber-optic sensing technology in the pipeline industry to monitor leaks, tampering, and hazardous conditions.

FOSA supported the Smart Cities and Communities Act, introduced by Representatives Suzan DelBene and Yvette Clarke. The bill would provide $1.1 billion to expand the use of smart city technology.

## Members

As of June 2022, FOSA claims 22 members:

* AP Sensing
* Corning Inc.
* Ditch Witch
* Dura-Line Corporation
* FEBUS Optics
* Fotech Solutions
* Hifi Engineering
* Institute of Engineering Geodesy and Measurement Systems, Graz University of Technology
* LIOS Technology
* NBG Fiber Optic Corp.
* NEC Corporation of America
* Network Integrity Systems
* OFS
* Omnisens
* OptaSense
* OZ Optics
* Prysmian Group
* Sensonic
* Senstar Corporation
* Smartpipe Technologies
* University of California, Berkeley
* Viavi_Solutions
