NEC Laboratories America

Optical Sensing & Solutions

From early concepts and laboratory validation to proven field deployments on live infrastructure, we develop technologies that sense the physical world, transform observations into intelligence, and enable informed action. Building on our expertise in optics and photonics, we are expanding toward multimodal sensing, AI-powered understanding, and intelligent systems that interact with the physical world.

Deployed telecom cables, urban fiber networks, and emerging optical sensors provide a powerful foundation for observing the physical world at scale. Our research spans forward-looking theoretical studies, cutting-edge experiments, artificial intelligence, and world- and industry-first field trials. We transform existing infrastructure into dense, real-time sensing platforms capable of monitoring complex environments over large areas.

Our research follows a broad sense–understand–act vision. We develop optical and distributed fiber sensing technologies that capture physical phenomena; AI methods that interpret complex signals, combine information across sensors, diagnose events, and predict changing conditions; and intelligent solutions that translate these insights into decisions and responses. Looking ahead, we envision extending this foundation beyond optical sensing to multimodal sensing and autonomous systems, including robotics, that can perceive, reason about, and respond to the physical world.

Our current work spans optical sensing, infrared imaging and spectroscopy, radio-frequency spectrum sensing and AI-enabled sensing analytics. These technologies can detect, localize, and characterize vibrations, intrusions, equipment conditions, and environmental changes along an infrastructure network’s physical route. By integrating sensing with edge computing and AI, we seek to move beyond data collection toward real-time understanding, prediction, and automated response.

By uniting advanced sensing, physical-world AI, and intelligent action, Optical Sensing & Solutions aims to create safer, more resilient, and more autonomous systems for infrastructure, utilities, transportation, environmental monitoring, public safety, smart cities, and intelligent manufacturing.

Join Us

Are you interested in joining us? We seek the next generation of thought leaders in optical sensing for researcher positions. Outstanding applicants pursuing a career in optical sensing are encouraged to visit our careers page to learn more and apply for available positions.

Summer 2026 Internship Applications are now closed.

Exciting internship opportunities for Summer 2027 will be available on our internship page this fall.  We are looking for students pursuing advanced degrees in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Internships are typically 3 months long during the summer. The benefits of working for us include the opportunity to quickly join a project team applying cutting-edge technology to industry-leading concepts.

To apply for a Summer Internship, visit our Internship page.

Learn More

Want to learn more about our optical sensing & solutions department? Meet our team of experts, check out our blog posts, or read our latest publications.

Featured Optical Sensing & Solutions Research Projects

Latest Optical Sensing & Solutions News

QoT-Driven Control and Optimization in Fiber-Optic WDM Network Systems

This paper outlines QoT-driven optimization strategies in coherent fiber-optic WDM networks, addressing distinct transmission scenarios, QoT metrics, control-plane methodologies, and emerging trends to enhance network reliability, flexibility and capacity.

Robust Phase Noise Power Spectral Density Estimation Using Multi-Laser Interferometry

We jointly estimate the phase noise power spectral densities of multiple lasers using interferometry between different combinations of laser pairs. We demonstrate a beat-frequency trackingmethod that allows under-sampling of interferometric products without phase jumps.

Span-based Polarization Sensing in Cables Without Reflectors

Polarization-based, multi-span sensing over a link without reflection-back circuits is demonstrated experimentally. It is shown that distributed reflection from Rayleigh scattering can serveas an alternative to reflectors after spatial averaging of received state-of-polarization

Toward Intelligent and Efficient Optical Networks: Performance Modeling, Co-existence, and Field Trials

Optical transmission networks require intelligent traffic adaptation and efficient spectrum usage. We present scalable machine learning (ML) methods for network performance modeling, andfield trials of distributed fiber sensing and classic optical network traffic coexistence.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing Over PON Architecture by Using Enhanced Scattering Fiber

Passive-Optical-Networks (PON) have emerged as a pivotal technology for broadband access network and are now expanding to wireless communication, supporting 5G and development of future 6G frameworks. PON systems are expected to find many new applications, including in electrical power grids, modern

Wavelength tunable distributed vibration sensing over PON architecture using enhanced scattering fiber and ITLA

We demonstrate a wavelength tunable Distributed-Vibration-Sensing over PON scheme using low-cost ITLA and Enhanced-Scattering-Fibers. Vibrations at frequency grids of 193.40THz and194.60THz in a PON with 1×16 splitter and 21 km feeder-fiber were successfully detected.