Review lights up the good vibrations driving new technologies

It has even been used to refine the sounds that electric vehicles and golf clubs make.  

“For example, the Callaway Big Bertha™ golf driver clubs from the 1990s were developed using laser vibrometers to measure the vibration of the golf club head and the ball as the impact occurred. The sound that's made – that ‘boom’ when you nail it off the tee – is the result of the funding invested in perfecting that process and engineering the equipment,” said Associate Professor Halkon.

“A further example of the value of the technique is in Formula 1® engines. Special laser vibrometers are needed to measure the motion of valves that operate at very high speeds, essential to producing the high power output that’s needed.”

The technical review covers the fundamentals of the technique from its origins and first principles, explores different versions and adaptations of the technique that have been developed for greater applicability and specific, challenging applications, the implications and considerations for these, and future directions and remaining challenges in the field of vibrometry.

In particular, it identifies a number of areas where the technology can be applied in future such as mobile measurements, biomedical diagnostics and telecommunications.

“It consolidates the state-of-the-art methodologies like instrumentation principles, experimental design considerations and emerging applications into a single reference article that will be useful across multiple engineering and science disciplines,” Associate Professor Halkon said.

Nature Reviews Methods Primers is a peer-reviewed high-impact journal that covers analytical, applied, theoretical and computational methods in the physical and life sciences.  

Associate Professor Halkon has spent the past decade at UTS building capability in this field. He has worked projects measuring the vibration of rotating machinery and applying laser Doppler vibrometers in challenging measurement scenarios including within autonomous vehicles.

He has worked to establish the Vibration Lab at UTS Tech Lab in Botany. His work there has focussed on a range of industry applications including remote measurements applicable to security, defence and mining among other domains.