The project aims to develop innovative tools and methodologies for using fibre optic telecommunication networks as distributed sensors to detect disturbances in the environments where the fibre infrastructure is deployed. It introduces advanced photonic techniques to measure fibre optic cable deformation through interferometry, employing low-phase-noise lasers integrated on chips, thereby making detection systems more compact, cost-effective, and scalable.

The collected detection data will serve dual purposes: optimizing telecommunication networks by enhancing monitoring, enabling self-healing capabilities, and managing critical issues, as well as providing valuable insights into environmental variations of interest across diverse research fields. With a multidisciplinary consortium and tests on shared fibres with data traffic, the project seeks to improve global networks for telecommunications, scientific research, and citizen protection.