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An opto-mechanical anemometer is particularly adapted to measure fluctuations in the flow of a turbulent fluid such as can be applied in the measurement of wind turbulence for meteorological purposes, the turbulent flow of fluid through a pipe or conduit, or the flow of air through a tube from the b

An opto-mechanical anemometer is particularly adapted to measure fluctuations in the flow of a turbulent fluid such as can be applied in the measurement of wind turbulence for meteorological purposes, the turbulent flow of fluid through a pipe or conduit, or the flow of air through a tube from the breath of a patient for medical diagnostics. An optical fiber is positioned in the flow path of the fluid and fixed motionless at one end. The free end is caused to bend in response to fluctuations in the flow. A beam of light is projected out the free end of the optical fiber toward a stationary optical detector placed in the path of the beam, which is sensitive to the point of maximum intensity of the beam of light. Deflection of the optical fiber translates into movement of the light beam over the detector, allowing measurement of the speed and direction of the fluid flow in two orthogonal planes.

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What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1. An apparatus for detecting fluctuations in the flow of a fluid comprising: a directional light emitter positioned transverse to the flow of the fluid, further comprising: a flexible arm section having a long axis with a base end and

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1. An apparatus for detecting fluctuations in the flow of a fluid comprising: a directional light emitter positioned transverse to the flow of the fluid, further comprising: a flexible arm section having a long axis with a base end and a tip end, wherein the base end is fixed and the tip end is unsupported, to allow the flexible arm section to bend with the flow of the fluid, and wherein the flexible arm section perturbates about a nominal position in response to fluctuations in the flow of the fluid; and a light source connected to the flexible arm section and configured to project a beam of light from the tip end of the flexible arm section; and at least one optical detector positioned to be responsive to the beam of light, wherein the optical detector is configured to sense lateral movements of the beam of light as the flexible arm section perturbates in response to fluctuations in the flow of the fluid and wherein the detector is capable of monitoring lateral movements having frequencies up to 1000 Hz. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam of light projected from the tip end of the flexible arm is concentric with the long axis. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam of light is projected from the tip end of the flexible arm at an angle divergent from the long axis. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the directional light emitter further comprises a back section integral with the flexible arm section, wherein a common inner light passage passes through the back section and the flexible arm section. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the light source connects to the back section of the directional light emitter to project the beam of light through the inner light passage and out an opening in the tip end of the flexible arm section. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the directional light emitter is an optical fiber. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source is an LED. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam of light is monochromatic. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base end is fixed by connection to a wall of a passageway orientated substantially parallel to the direction of the flow of the fluid, and further wherein the flexible arm section has been mechanically stiffened to resist nominal motion of the flow such that the orientation of the flexible arm section is substantially perpendicular to the wall when the flow of the fluid is nominal and non-fluctuating. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical detector further comprises a face surface, wherein the face surface is sensitive to peak intensity of the beam of light. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is capable of monitoring movement of the beam of light in two planes. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of directional light emitters and complementary optical detectors can be arranged on a probe to form an array. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the array of directional light emitters and complementary optical detectors can be configured to measure the flow of fluid in three planes. 15. A method for measuring the flow of a fluid in two directions, the method comprising the steps of: a) positioning a flexible arm section in a flow of a fluid, the flexible arm section having a long axis with a base end and a distal end; b) orientating the flexible arm section transverse to the flow of the fluid with the base end of the flexible arm section being fixed motionless against the flow of the fluid; c) causing the distal end of the flexible arm section to bend freely in response to the flow of the fluid, so that the flexible arm section perturbates about a nominal position in response to fluctuations in the flow of the fluid, so that the flexible arm section perturbates about a nominal position in response to fluctuations in the flow of the fluid; d) projecting a beam of light from the distal end of the flexible arm section toward an optical detector, wherein the optical detector is located in a pathway of the beam of light; and e) monitoring a location of the beam of light impacting on the optical detector, the optical detector being responsive to the position of peak intensity of the beam of light on a face of the optical detector, and where the optical detector is capable of monitoring perturbations in the position of peak intensity having frequencies up to 1000 Hz. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flow of the fluid is turbulent. 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising calculating a fluctuation in the flow of the fluid from a movement of the beam of light across the face of the optical detector. 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising arranging an array of directional light emitters and complementary optical detectors on a probe to measure the flow of the fluid in three directions. 19. An apparatus for detecting fluctuations in the flow of a fluid comprising: a directional light emitter positioned transverse to the flow of the fluid, further comprising: a flexible arm section having a long axis with a base end and a tip end, wherein the base end is fixed by connection to a wall of a passageway orientated substantially parallel to the direction of the flow of the fluid and the tip end is unsupported, to allow the flexible arm section to bend with the flow of the fluid, and where the flexible arm section has been mechanically stiffened to resist nominal motion of the flow such that the orientation of the flexible arm section is substantially perpendicular to the wall when the flow of the fluid is nominal and non-fluctuating; and a light source connected to the flexible arm section and configured to project a beam of light from the tip end of the flexible arm section; and at least one optical detector positioned to be responsive to the beam of light, wherein the optical detector is configured to sense a lateral movement of the beam of light as the directional light emitter deflects in response to the flow of the fluid. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the beam of light projected from the tip end of the flexible arm is concentric with the long axis. 21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the beam of light is projected from the tip end of the flexible arm at an angle divergent from the long axis. 22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the directional light emitter further comprises a back section integral with the flexible arm section, wherein a common inner light passage passes through the back section and the flexible arm section. 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the light source connects to the back section of the directional light emitter to project the beam of light through the inner light passage and out an opening in the tip end of the flexible arm section. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the directional light emitter is an optical fiber. 25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the light source is a laser. 26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the light source is an LED. 27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the beam of light is monochromatic. 28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the optical detector further comprises a face surface, wherein the face surface is sensitive to peak intensity of the beam of light. 29. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the detector is capable of monitoring movement of the beam of light in two planes. 30. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the detector is capable of monitoring oscillations of the beam of light at frequencies up to 1000 Hz. 31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of directional light emitters and complementary optical detectors can be arranged on a probe to form an array. 32. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the array of directional light emitters and complementary optical detectors can be configured to measure the flow of fluid in three planes 33. A method for measuring the flow of a fluid in two directions, the method comprising the steps of: a) positioning a flexible arm section in a flow of a fluid, the flexible arm section having a long axis with a base end and a distal end; b) orientating the flexible arm section transverse to the flow of the fluid with the base end of the flexible arm section being fixed motionless against the flow of the fluid; c) causing the distal end of the flexible arm section to bend in response to fluctuations in the flow of the fluid, where the flexible arm section has been mechanically stiffened to resist nominal motion of the flow such that the orientation of the flexible arm section is substantially perpendicular to the wall when the flow of the fluid is nominal and non-fluctuating; d) projecting a beam of light from the distal end of the flexible arm section toward an optical detector, wherein the optical detector is located in a pathway of the beam of light; and e) monitoring a location of the beam of light impacting on the optical detector, the optical detector being responsive to the position of peak intensity of the beam of light on a face of the optical detector. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the flow of the fluid is turbulent. 35. The method of claim 33, further comprising calculating a fluctuation in the flow of the fluid from a movement of the beam of light across the face of the optical detector. 36. The method of claim 33, further comprising arranging an array of directional light emitters and complementary optical detectors on a probe to measure the flow of the fluid in three directions.