Distributed Impact Detection System (DIDS)

Invocon’s Distributed Impact Detection System (DIDS) is a wireless distributed network of miniaturized, self-powered piezoelectric sensor nodes that continuously monitor for impact events on large structures such as manned spacecraft. Developed under a NASA Langley Research Center Phase 2 SBIR contract, DIDS uses extremely low-latency signal acquisition to capture high-frequency acoustic impact signals while operating at micro-watt average power levels. The system supports accelerometer, acoustic emission, and ultrasonic transducer types, with triangulation capabilities for impact localization.

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Key Specifications

Sensor Types

Acoustic emission, accelerometer, ultrasonic transducer

Signal Acquisition Frequency

Hundreds of kilohertz range

Average Power Consumption

Micro-watt range (trigger mode)

Battery Life (standard 1 mAh)

Up to 1.9 years

Modes of Operation

Trigger, Data, Processing, RF Transmit

Triangulation

Multi-node network supports impact location determination

Key Features

Extremely Low-Power Trigger Architecture
Innovative signal conditioning circuit operates in the micro-watt range on average while maintaining continuous readiness to capture impact events in the hundreds-of-kilohertz range.
Self-Powered Wireless Nodes
Miniaturized stick-on nodes operate for up to 2 years, with no wiring required.
Multi-Mode Power Management
Four operating modes (Trigger, Data, Processing, RF Transmit) allow DIDS to minimize power while maximizing responsiveness to impact events.
Impact Localization via Triangulation
Multi-node network uses time-of-arrival data to triangulate and determine the location of detected impacts on the monitored structure.
Multi-Transducer Compatibility
Supports acoustic emission, accelerometer, and ultrasonic transducers, enabling application-specific sensor selection across different structure types.
RF Configuration and Data Download
RF interface allows remote configuration of sensor thresholds and download of captured impact waveforms without physical access to the nodes.

Typical Applications

Manned Spacecraft Impact Monitoring
Detects micro-meteoroid and orbital debris impacts on the International Space Station and other crewed vehicles.
Structural Leak Detection
Ultrasonic sensor variant used for detecting leak events in pressurized spacecraft panels.
Launch Vehicle Structural Monitoring
Monitors for acoustic emission events indicative of structural impacts or anomalies during pre-launch and ascent.