Welcome to Future Fibre Technologies Pty. Ltd. (FFT), an advanced product
development company operating in the field of distributed optical fibre
sensors. This technology employs optical fibres as a sensing device for
measuring such attributes as movement, vibration, pressure, strain,
temperature and even audible sound. It is an emerging technology with
considerable potential to replace many existing electrical and mechanical
sensing technologies.
12 products across three broad categories - Secure Link, an IT security
monitoring system; Secure Fence, a fully-automated perimeter protection
apparatus; and Pipeline Security, a system to detect threats, breaches and
breaks in conduits conveying anything from water to gas and oil.
Each system is based on the use of optical fibres to detect changes in the
environment, with the information constantly monitored and assessed by
computer.
For instance, a strand of fibre-optic cable along a chain-link fence senses
movement and vibrations, information it feeds back to the computer.
Using sophisticated software, the computer can be programmed to screen out
environmental factors such as wind or animals to raise the alarm when there
are breaches of the perimeter.
The system can detect breaches up to 50 kilometres away with accuracy to
within a few metres.
In the past 18 months, systems have been sold to clients including the
Australian and Singaporean defence departments, banker Credit Suisse First
Boston and power company Duke Energy. It has also been installed at the
Lodge in Canberra.
After receiving Defence Department approval for his security systems last
month, Mr Tapanes expects worldwide interest to accelerate and estimates
revenue could grow tenfold in the next 12 months.
His product has certainly attracted interest at home. Private Equity Fund
executive director Bernard Stanton said J.B. Were had researched more than
600 investment opportunities in the past 12 months before selecting Future
Fibre Technologies.
It has also attracted investments from Kerry Packer's main private company
Consolidated Press Holdings and Link Communications founder Terry Winters.
http://www.fft.com.au/media/mr011001.shtm
