EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan State University and Boeing Co. have been awarded a $4 million contract to develop new designs of sensors to detect cracks in airframe structures.
The funding announced Thursday for the East Lansing school and the Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer is from the U.S. Air Force.
Lalita Udpa is a professor of electrical and computer engineering in Michigan State University's College of Engineering. She's leading the effort to create sensors to help identify aircraft structures that have been weakened by subsurface cracks and corrosion.
In a statement, Udpa said researchers will spend about 18 months creating and testing new sensor concepts and designs in the laboratory. Boeing will build a portable system for testing in the field. Both will find-tune the design after testing.