Wireless sensing and acoustic emission array techniques

So far, acoustic emission recording devices and data processing techniques have been described that are based on a wired transfer of data from the sensors to the pre-amplifier and to the AE recording unit. These systems are relatively expensive, vulnerable and time consuming to install. For this reason are applications for a long term monitoring of civil engineering structures rare and limited to eminent structures or objects with already known problems. However, there is a demand for routine applications of AE techniques after several disastrous events concerning buildings and bridges recently (see below). Moreover, developments in the construction design as well as demands from traffic and for a longer life time of structures call for a redesign of AE techniques that has to go hand in hand with a change of AE setup and data processing techniques also.