What if an aircraft could feel pain like a human and autonomously diagnose its own faults?

Such scenarios, once thought to be possible only in the distant future, are being brought closer to reality by researchers at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU).

Dr. Chan-Ik Park (Visiting Professor) of the Los Alamos National Laboratory-Jeonbuk National University Engineering Institute-Korea and Professor Jeong-Ryul Lee have, for the first time in Korea, proposed a methodology showing that an aircraft can perceive pain like a human by using smart sensors.

Supported by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the study was part of the project titled "Development of Structural Health Monitoring Technology for Aircraft Using Smart Sensors." Recently, it was also selected as one of 66 exemplary government R&D achievements by the National Science and Technology Council.

Led by the Agency for Defense Development, with participation from JBNU, KAIST, Deck Co., Ltd., and FiberPro, the project received an investment of 3 billion won over three years and developed core technologies for real-time structural health monitoring of future military aircraft.

Using the high-speed optical fiber sensor system developed for this research, Dr. Chan-Ik Park performed the world's first bird-strike test on an aircraft wing. As a result, he successfully measured the wing's structural vibrations during a bird strike and demonstrated that the impact location can be detected.

In addition, Professor Jeong-Ryul Lee developed a laser-based ultrasonic imaging system and, for the first time in the world, demonstrated its ability to detect aircraft damage at millimeter scale on an actual aircraft structure.

Dr. Chan-Ik Park said, "This technology uses fiber-optic smart sensors to enable manned and unmanned aircraft to detect impacts or damage during flight like a human senses pain, and to autonomously visualize the severity of the damage. We expect it will greatly improve military operational capability and the safety of aircraft, and that it could be applied not only to military aircraft but also to the safety of commercial passenger aircraft."