News Release Details

System Leverages Existing Fiber Optic Links to Enhance Safety

ROANOKE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2023-- Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ: LUNA), a global leader in advanced fiber optic-based technology, announces its continued successful application of fiber optic sensing-based traffic monitoring with a recent deployment for the state of Utah Department of Transportation (DOT). The Luna traffic monitoring solution provides accurate and timely information across both urban and rural roadways. The unique and cost-effective system is capable of determining average traffic speed, detecting slow or stopped traffic, and estimating journey times between set locations.

Along with its partner Dura-Line, a leading conduit manufacturer, Luna commissioned its traffic monitoring and incident detection solution on pre-existing fiber laid along Utah’s Big and Small Cottonwood canyons. Roads through these canyons link Salt Lake City with key tourist destinations for the State, such as popular ski resorts Alta and Park City. The routes pass through areas of steep elevation where avalanches are a common occurrence in winter.

“Advanced traffic monitoring systems are becoming increasingly import in order to keep traffic flowing safely on our roads and highways,” said Scott Graeff, Luna Innovations’ President and CEO. “Luna’s fiber optic-based solution leverages fiber already in the ground along the roadway and provides DOTs and municipalities critical traffic flow information with broad coverage and no latency. This is another great example of the how Luna’s solutions take advantage of the ubiquity of fiber optics to solve a wide range of societal challenges. We are very pleased to be working with Dura-Line on this for the Utah DOT.”

Early warning of these events reaching the canyon roads are an extremely valuable tool for the Utah DOT avalanche control team. The advanced detection helps the team coordinate its response with travelers and resort stakeholders.

The Luna monitoring solution uses common telecommunications fiber as a series of distributed “microphones” that can detect acoustic noise and seismic events along the fiber. The system then provides incident alerts to the response team. The system also can detect other incidents, such as rock fall or earthquakes, which can impact roadways.

The Luna solution was deployed in 2022, and, by early 2023, was providing traffic monitoring updates in Utah DOT’s existing road monitoring dashboard in its operations center. The 2023 winter season was one of the most active in Utah DOT’s known history in terms of avalanches in these canyons. The Luna system provided early warning of these events and alerted Utah DOT at its operations center to incidents and traffic build-up, which is critical information for road safety and emergency response.

The success Utah DOT has realized with the Luna traffic monitoring solution builds upon the success of similar deployments in Georgia, Florida, Nevada, and North Dakota. The solution maps well into various federal funding sources available for state DOTs across the nation, such as the SMART program, designed to improve their infrastructure, introduce innovative technology, improve safety and environmental performance, and reduce congestion.

This project will be featured in an upcoming webinar entitled, “Using Fiber for Situational Awareness Along Roadways” on Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. Eastern. The registration link can be found here.

For more information about this and other Luna fiber optic sensing solutions, visit www.lunainc.com.

About Luna

Luna Innovations Incorporated (www.lunainc.com) is a leader in optical technology, providing unique capabilities in high-performance, fiber optic-based, test products for the telecommunications industry and distributed fiber optic-based sensing for a multitude of industries. Luna’s business model is designed to accelerate the process of bringing new and innovative technologies to market.

Forward-Looking Statement

The statements in this release that are not historical facts constitute “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include Luna’s expectations regarding technological capabilities, market opportunities, customer relationship and operational efficacy related to its technology and/or products. Management cautions the reader that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to a number of both known and unknown risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, and/or achievements of Luna may differ materially from the future results, performance, and/or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors. These factors include, without limitation, changes in market needs and technological challenges and other risks and uncertainties set forth in Luna’s periodic reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Such filings are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on Luna’s website at www.lunainc.com. The statements made in this release are based on information available to Luna as of the date of this release and Luna undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

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Investor Contact:
Allison Woody
Luna Innovations Incorporated
Phone: 540.769.8465
Email: woodya@lunainc.com

Source: Luna Innovations Incorporated