A system comprising: a borescope probe sized to pass through an opening in a turbomachine, the borescope probe for detecting a symbolic data array on a component within the turbomachine, characterized in at least one computing device operably coupled to the borescope probe and configured to monitor the component within the turbomachine by performing actions including: obtaining image data about the symbolic data array located on the component within the turbomachine from the borescope probe; evaluating the image data to determine whether the image data is compatible with a symbolic data array analysis program configured to execute on the at least one computing device, and analyzing the image data using the symbolic data array analysis program in response to determining that the image data is compatible with the symbolic data array analysis program; determining a characteristic of the symbolic data array, which characteristic includes information about the component, wherein the information comprises at least one of: an indication of strain, stress, fatigue, material creep, by means of at least one of a symbolic strain rosette, a symbolic strain gauge, a Moire fringe pattern or another similarly optical-based strain indicator; and initiating a message indicating that the image data is incompatible with the symbolic data array analysis program in response to determining that the image data is not compatible with the symbolic data array analysis program thereby indicting information of one or more characteristics of the component. a borescope probe sized to pass through an opening in a turbomachine, the borescope probe for detecting a symbolic data array on a component within the turbomachine, characterized in at least one computing device operably coupled to the borescope probe and configured to monitor the component within the turbomachine by performing actions including: obtaining image data about the symbolic data array located on the component within the turbomachine from the borescope probe; evaluating the image data to determine whether the image data is compatible with a symbolic data array analysis program configured to execute on the at least one computing device, and analyzing the image data using the symbolic data array analysis program in response to determining that the image data is compatible with the symbolic data array analysis program; determining a characteristic of the symbolic data array, which characteristic includes information about the component, wherein the information comprises at least one of: an indication of strain, stress, fatigue, material creep, by means of at least one of a symbolic strain rosette, a symbolic strain gauge, a Moire fringe pattern or another similarly optical-based strain indicator; and initiating a message indicating that the image data is incompatible with the symbolic data array analysis program in response to determining that the image data is not compatible with the symbolic data array analysis program thereby indicting information of one or more characteristics of the component. obtaining image data about the symbolic data array located on the component within the turbomachine from the borescope probe; evaluating the image data to determine whether the image data is compatible with a symbolic data array analysis program configured to execute on the at least one computing device, and analyzing the image data using the symbolic data array analysis program in response to determining that the image data is compatible with the symbolic data array analysis program; determining a characteristic of the symbolic data array, which characteristic includes information about the component, wherein the information comprises at least one of: an indication of strain, stress, fatigue, material creep, by means of at least one of a symbolic strain rosette, a symbolic strain gauge, a Moire fringe pattern or another similarly optical-based strain indicator; and initiating a message indicating that the image data is incompatible with the symbolic data array analysis program in response to determining that the image data is not compatible with the symbolic data array analysis program thereby indicting information of one or more characteristics of the component.