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Display Solutions for Underwater Inspection
Iris Innovations sought a high quality flat panel display, viewable under adverse ambient conditions, to create Scubar; a portable underwater inspection tool that allows an operator on dry land to gather and analyze detailed information from below the waterline. Southampton-based marine technology specialist Iris Innovations has developed the Scubar underwater scope to eliminate the financial and practical barriers of even the most rudimentary underwater inspections. Scubar comprises a submersible CCTV camera mounted on a telescopic pole, which the operator can use from the water's edge or from the deck of a boat, for example, to check damage to a hull or to inspect objects that may be fouling a rudder. The standard pole can be extended up to 4.5 m, which is long enough to inspect underneath a large motor yacht, for example, from the security and safety of the deck. An extra-long, 10-m, version has sufficient reach to satisfy the more demanding tasks faced by agencies such as coastguards or rescue services, who may need to survey river or sea beds, or the hulls of larger vessels. The high-resolution, waterproof camera has built-in LED illumination, which is bright enough to reveal scenes several meters beneath the surface, even at night. The pole also has a flexible neck to promote access to inaccessible areas. The collected image data is transmitted via cable back to a video display unit mounted in a lightweight, padded broadcast bag. Even though this unit is operated in the relative comfort of dry land, it must deliver high performance under tough conditions, as Karl Hitchcock of Iris Innovations explains. "Professional users, in particular, demand a very rugged solution. A wide viewing angle is typically required, to allow several team members to see the images, and clear presentation of information is essential at all times, including when the system is used at sea
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or under the most adverse weather conditions." Hitchcock describes recent orders for up to 400 Scubar systems, received from the Netherlands Coast Guard and the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue service. Paul Chambers, General Manager at Trident Displays, said, "The market for small, color TFT-LCD displays is heavily focused on price-sensitive consumer applications, making it difficult for engineers to find high-performance modules for challenging applications and environments. On the other hand, over-specifying the display can incur excessive and unnecessary costs. Iris had to find the optimum solution for its customers, as publicly funded agencies are increasingly focused on securing the best possible value for money." Trident recommended the Hexa-Chain HC5601AU color TFT-LCD module, which is a 5.6 in. display of 960 x 234 pixels resolution. The unit's 350 Cd/sq. m. brightness is sufficient to allow clear viewing even in bright direct sunlight, and the screen can be viewed from angles as wide as 60° from left to right, 40° above horizontal, and 55° below. The wide operating voltage range, from 10-30V, simplified electrical integration, and the 1Vp-p 75O video input with PAL/NTSC auto switch also obviated the need for complex signal conversion circuitry to be added.
For more information, Email sales@trident-uk.co.uk October 2007
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